TEACHINGS OFPRESIDENTS OF THE CHURCH · 2011. 7. 29. · The following suggestions illustrate one possible approach to help teachers prepare and present lessons from this book (these

TEACHINGS OF PRESIDENTS

OF THE CHURCH

DAVID O. MCKAY

TEACHINGS OF PRESIDENTS OF THE CHURCH

DAVID O. McKAY

Published by

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Salt Lake City, Utah

Your comments and suggestions about this book would be appreciated.

Please submit them to Curriculum Planning, 50 East North Temple

Street, Room 2420, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3220 USA.

E-mail: [email protected]

Please list your name, address, ward, and stake. Be sure to give the title

of the book. Then offer your comments and suggestions about the

book’s strengths and areas of potential improvement.

© 2003 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

English approval: 8/00

Contents

Title Page

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

Historical Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x

The Life and Ministry of David O. McKay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii

1 Jesus Christ: “The Way, the Truth, and the Life” . . . . . . . . . . 1

2 The Dual Nature of Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

3 The Purpose of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

4 Elements of Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

5 The Blessings of Unity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

6 “Every Member a Missionary” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

7 The Significance of the Resurrection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

8 The Power of Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

9 Overcoming Temptation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

10 The Divine Calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith . . . . . . . . 91

11 Living the Word of Wisdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

12 Priesthood, the Responsibility to Represent God . . . . . . . 113

13 The Sacred Importance of Temples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

14 Preparing for an Eternal Marriage and Family. . . . . . . . . . 135

15 Experiencing Happiness in Marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

16 The Noble Calling of Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

17 A Testimony of the Truth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

18 Courage to Live Righteously. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

19 The Divine Nature of Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

20 Teaching, a Noble Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187

21 The First Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel . . . . . 195

22 Agency and Responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

23 Developing a Christlike Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215

24 “Let Your Light So Shine”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225

List of Paintings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234

iii

iv

David O. McKay was ordained an Apostle in 1906 and sustained

as President of the Church in 1951.

Introduction

The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have

established the Teachings of Presidents of the Church series to

help Church members deepen their understanding of gospel

doctrine and draw closer to Jesus Christ through the teachings of

the prophets in this dispensation. This book features the teach-

ings of President David O. McKay, who served as President of The

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from April 1951 to

January 1970.

How to Use This Book

Each chapter in this book includes four sections: (1) an open-

ing quotation that briefly introduces the focus of the chapter;

(2) an “Introduction,” which illustrates the messages of the

chapter with a story or counsel from President McKay; (3)

“Teachings of David O. McKay,” which presents doctrines from

his many messages and sermons; and (4) “Suggestions for Study

and Discussion,” which contains questions to encourage per-

sonal review and inquiry, application of gospel principles, and

discussion at home and at church. Reviewing the questions

before studying President McKay’s words may give additional

insight into his teachings. Also, as part of the resources for

additional study and discussion, each chapter includes a brief

list of related scriptures.

This book is to be used in the following settings:

For personal or family study. Through prayerful reading and

thoughtful study, individuals can receive a personal witness of

the truths taught by President McKay. This volume will add to

each member’s gospel library and will serve as an important

resource for family instruction and study in the home.

For discussion in Sunday meetings. This book is the text for

Sunday meetings in high priests groups, elders quorums, and

v

I N T R O D U C T I O N

vi

the Relief Society, usually on the second and third Sundays of

each month. These Sunday meetings should be discussions that

concentrate on gospel doctrines and principles. Teachers should

focus on the content of the text and related scriptures and

should apply these teachings to circumstances with which class

members will be familiar. They may draw from the questions at

the end of each chapter to encourage class discussion. As appro-

priate, members should bear testimony and share personal

examples that relate to the lessons. When teachers humbly seek

the Spirit in preparing and directing the lessons, all who partic-

ipate will be strengthened in their knowledge of the truth.

Leaders and teachers are to encourage members to read the

chapters in preparation for Sunday meetings and to bring the

book to church. They should honor such preparation by teach-

ing from President McKay’s words. When members have read

a chapter in advance, they will be prepared to teach and edify

each other.

It is not necessary or recommended that members purchase

additional commentaries or reference texts to supplement the

material in this book. For further study of the doctrine, members

are encouraged to turn to the related scriptures that are

included at the end of the “Suggestions for Study and

Discussion” section.

Since this book is designed for personal study and gospel ref-

erence, many chapters contain more material than can be fully

addressed in Sunday meetings. Therefore, study at home

becomes essential to more thoroughly benefit from President

McKay’s teachings.

Teaching Lessons from the Chapters in This Book

The chapters in this book contain more information than

most teachers will be able to teach in one class period.

Teachers should pray for help, seek the guidance of the Holy

Ghost, and work diligently as they select the quotations, scrip-

ture references, and questions that will best meet the needs of

class members.


vii

Preparing a Lesson

The following suggestions illustrate one possible approach to

help teachers prepare and present lessons from this book (these

guidelines can also be used by parents in preparing family home

evening lessons):

1. Prayerfully study the chapter. Consider marking passages that

are particularly inspiring to you.

2. Determine what should happen in the lives of those you teach

as a result of the teachings in the chapter. Seek the guidance

of the Holy Ghost as you ponder the needs of those you teach.

3. Decide what to teach. Read the chapter again, selecting the

passages that will be most helpful for those you teach.

4. Decide how to teach. Plan ways to teach the passages you have

selected. Some suggestions follow.

• Conduct discussions based on the questions in “Suggestions

for Study and Discussion” at the end of each chapter.

• Discuss selected scripture passages from the related scriptures

listed at the end of each chapter.

• Plan a way to get members’ attention at the beginning of the

lesson. For example, you may share a story from the chapter’s

introduction, write a thought-provoking question on the

chalkboard, or use an object lesson.

• Use hymns and Primary songs to help members prepare to

feel the Spirit.

• Bear testimony whenever the Spirit prompts you, not just at

the end of the lesson.

• Invite one or two members to come to class prepared to bear

brief testimony of the principles in the chapter.

• As appropriate, share experiences relating to the principles in

the chapter. Invite others to do the same.

For suggestions on how to use these and other teaching meth-

ods, refer to Teaching, No Greater Call (36123); the Teaching

Guidebook (34595); and “Gospel Teaching and Leadership,” sec-

tion 16 of the Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2:

Priesthood and Auxiliary Leaders (35903). Also, to help you

succeed in your calling, you are encouraged to participate in the

12-week Teaching the Gospel course in your ward or branch, as

well as the quarterly teacher improvement meetings.

5. Organize your ideas. You may want to write an outline to

guide you during the presentation of the lesson.

Conducting Meaningful Discussions

Whether in a family or classroom setting, the chapters in this

book provide a wonderful opportunity for individuals to

strengthen each other by participating in gospel discussions.

The following guidelines may help you conduct meaningful

discussions:

• Ask questions that require thought and discussion rather than

questions that can be answered yes or no. Questions that

begin with what, how, why, who, or where are usually most

effective for encouraging discussion.

• Encourage others to share experiences that show how gospel

principles apply in everyday life. Also encourage them to

share their feelings about what they are learning. Listen sin-

cerely and show appreciation for their contributions.

• Be sensitive to the influence of the Holy Ghost. He will help

you know what to ask, who to call on, or how to include

others in the discussion. If you feel that comments are stray-

ing from the topic, politely redirect the discussion.

• Be careful not to end a good discussion too soon in an

attempt to cover all the material you have prepared. What

matters most is that participants feel the Spirit, increase their

understanding of the gospel, apply gospel principles in their

lives, and strengthen their commitment to live the gospel.

Information on the Sources Quoted in This Book

The teachings of President McKay in this book have been col-

lected from a variety of sources. The quotations have retained

the punctuation, spelling, and capitalization of the original

viii


ix

sources unless editorial or typographic changes have been nec-

essary to improve readability. For this reason, readers may notice

minor inconsistencies in the text.

President McKay often used terms such as men, man, or

mankind to refer to all people, both male and female. He also

commonly used the pronoun he to refer to both genders. This

was common in the language of his era. Despite the differences

between these language conventions and more current usage,

readers will find that President McKay’s teachings are equally

applicable and valuable to both women and men.

Also, President McKay was very well read, and he often quoted

other authors as he taught. In most of the original sources, quo-

tation marks indicate when President McKay is quoting someone

else, but the name of the author is seldom given. Rather than

disrupt the chapters of this book with numerous instances of

“[author unknown],” the book has simply retained original quo-

tation marks to indicate when President McKay is presenting

someone else’s words.


x

Historical Summary

This book is not a history, but rather a compilation of gospel

principles as taught by President David O. McKay. However, in

order to put his teachings in a historical framework, the follow-

ing chronology is provided. This summary omits some impor-

tant events in his personal life, such as the births of his children

and grandchildren.

1873, September 8: Born in Huntsville, Utah, to David McKay

and Jennette Evans McKay.

1881: David McKay leaves on a mission to the

British Isles. David O. and his mother

assume responsibility for the farm and

family (7; numbers in parentheses show

David O. McKay’s age).

1887: Receives patriarchal blessing from John

Smith (13).

1889: Sustained as secretary of the Huntsville

Ward Sunday School (15).

1893–94: Serves as a teacher and principal at the

Huntsville grade school; sustained as a

Sunday School teacher in the Huntsville

Ward (19–20).

1894–97: Attends the University of Utah and gradu-

ates as valedictorian (20–23).

1897–99: Fulfills a two-year mission to Great Britain.

In addition to his proselyting duties,

serves as a leader of all the missionaries in

Scotland (23–25).

1899–1900: Teaches at Weber Stake Academy in Ogden,

Utah (25–26).

1900: Appointed to Weber Stake Sunday School

Board (27).

1901, January 2: Marries Emma Ray Riggs in the Salt Lake

Temple (27).

1902: Appointed as principal of the Weber Stake

Academy (28).

1906: Ordained an Apostle by President Joseph

F. Smith (32).

1914–18: World War I is fought (40–44).

1918: Appointed general superintendent of the

Deseret Sunday School Union. Publishes

Ancient Apostles (45).

1919–21: Serves as Church commissioner of educa-

tion (45–47).

1920, December: On an assignment from the First

Presidency, leaves on a one-year tour with

Elder Hugh J. Cannon to visit Church mis-

sions around the world (47).

1922–24: Serves as president of the European

Mission (49–51).

1934: Sustained and set apart as second coun-

selor to President Heber J. Grant (61).

1939–45: World War II is fought (65–71).

1945: Sustained and set apart as second coun-

selor to President George Albert Smith (71).

1950: Sustained and set apart as President of the

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (77).

1951, April 9: Sustained and set apart as the ninth

President of the Church, with Stephen L

Richards as first counselor and J. Reuben

Clark Jr. as second counselor. At this time,

xi

H I S T O R I C A L S U M M A R Y

H I S T O R I C A L S U M M A R Y

xii

the Church had approximately one mil-

lion members (77).

1952, June: Leaves on nine-week tour of Europe, dur-

ing which time he visits Church members

in nine countries (78).

1953: Receives the Boy Scouts’ highest honor,

the Silver Buffalo (79).

1954: Begins 32,000-mile mission tour; first

Church President to visit Central American

and South American missions; first

General Authority to visit the South African

mission (80).

1955, August: Visits Europe with the Mormon Tabernacle

Choir (81).

1955, September: Dedicates the Bern Switzerland Temple

(82).

1956, March: Dedicates the Los Angeles California

Temple (82).

1956, October: Dedicates the Relief Society Building (83).

1958, April: Dedicates the Hamilton New Zealand

Temple (84).

1958, September: Dedicates the London England Temple

(85).

1964, November: Dedicates the Oakland California Temple

(91).

1970, January 18: At age 96, dies in Salt Lake City, Utah. By

the end of his administration, Church

membership had reached approximately

three million.

xiii

The Life and Ministry of David O. McKay

In April of 1951, at the age of 77, David Oman McKay became

the ninth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

Saints. During the nearly 20 years he served as President, he was

revered by Church members and many others worldwide as a

prophet of God. As he urged Church members to develop

Christlike character and to share the gospel through both teach-

ing and example, the Church experienced rapid growth

throughout the world. In addition to his teachings, his physical

appearance made a powerful impression. Upon meeting him,

many people commented that he not only spoke and acted like

a prophet, but that he looked like one. Even in his later years, he

had a tall, impressive physique and thick, wavy white hair. His

countenance radiated the righteous life that he led.

A Heritage and Childhood of High Ideals

In his teachings as a General Authority, David O. McKay often

referred with gratitude to the heritage and example he received

from his parents. The family of his father, David McKay, had

joined the Church in Thurso, Scotland, in 1850. In 1856, the

family traveled to America and, after working and saving money

for three years, crossed the plains to Utah, arriving in Salt Lake

City in August 1859.1

In the same year that the McKays joined the Church in

Scotland (1850), the family of David O. McKay’s mother,

Jennette Evans, embraced the restored gospel near Merthyr

Tydfil in South Wales. Like the McKay family, the Evans family

sailed for America in 1856 and arrived in Utah in 1859. Both fam-

ilies soon settled in Ogden, Utah, where David McKay and

Jennette Evans met and fell in love. They were married on 9 April

1867 in the Endowment House by Elder Wilford Woodruff.2

T H E L I F E A N D M I N I S T R Y O F D A V I D O. M C K A Y

xiv

On 8 September 1873 in the small Utah town of Huntsville,

David O. McKay was born—the third child and first son of David

and Jennette Evans McKay. His childhood was happy but not

without trials. In 1880, a series of events tested and proved the

family’s faith and brought early maturity to young David O. McKay.

His two older sisters, Margaret and Ellena, died within days of

each other, one of rheumatic fever and the other of pneumonia.

Approximately one year later, his father received a mission call to

Scotland. David McKay was somewhat concerned about accepting

the call because it would mean leaving his wife (who was expect-

ing another child) alone with the responsibilities of the family and

the farm. However, when hearing of the call, Jennette was firm in

her response: “Of course you must accept; you need not worry

about me. David O. and I will manage things nicely!”3 With this

encouragement and the assurance of help from neighbors and

relatives, David McKay accepted the call. His parting words to

seven-year-old David O. were to “take care of Mama.”4

Due to wise management by Jennette McKay, the hard work of

many, and the blessings of the Lord, the McKay farm prospered

despite David McKay’s two-year absence. During this time and,

indeed, throughout her life, Jennette McKay was equally vigilant

about the spiritual welfare of the children: “Family prayer was an

established procedure in the McKay home, and when Jennette

was left alone with her small family it seemed an ever more

important part of the day’s events. David [O.] was taught to take

his turn at morning and evening prayers and learned the impor-

tance of the blessings of heaven in the home.” 5

President McKay often spoke of his mother as an example

worthy of emulation. On one occasion he stated: “I cannot think

of a womanly virtue that my mother did not possess. . . . To her

children, and all others who knew her well, she was beautiful

and dignified. Though high-spirited she was even-tempered and

self-possessed. Her dark brown eyes immediately expressed any

rising emotion which, however, she always held under perfect

control. . . . In tenderness, watchful care, loving patience, loyalty

to home and to right, she seemed to me in boyhood, and she

seems to me now after these years, to have been supreme.” 6


xv

When David O. McKay was asked to name the greatest man he

had ever met, he replied without hesitation, “My father.”7 After

returning from his mission, his father served as the bishop of the

Eden and Huntsville Wards from 1883 to 1905.8 David McKay Sr.

shared many experiences and his testimony with his young son.

President McKay remembered: “As a boy, I sat and heard that tes-

timony from one whom I treasured and honored as you know I

treasured no other man in the world, and that assurance was

instilled in my youthful soul.” 9 The strength of his father’s

example and testimony sustained him as he grew in his knowl-

edge of the truth.

In everyday life, President McKay’s father taught him lessons

that strengthened him and found their way into his teachings as

an Apostle. He once told of an experience when he was collecting

hay with his brothers. The tenth load was to be given as a tithing

offering to the Church. David O. McKay’s father told the boys to

get the tenth load from a better spot than where they had been

gathering. His father said, “That is the tenth load, and the best is

none too good for God.” Years later, David O. McKay said that this

was the “most effective sermon on tithing I have ever heard in my

life.”10 His father also taught him to respect women. President

McKay told youth, “I remember my father’s admonition when I

started in my teens to court a young girl: ‘David, you treat that

young lady as you would have any young boy treat your sister.’ ”11

Later in life, while serving as President of the Church, he gave

the following tribute to his parents: “I am grateful for the wise

and careful guardianship and training of noble parents . . . a

guardianship which kept me from turning to paths that would

have opened to an entirely different kind of life! Every year

increases my appreciation and love for an ever watchful, pre-

cious mother, and a noble father.”12

Youth

As a young man, David O. McKay was called to serve in the

presidency of the deacons quorum. At that time, the deacons of

the ward were responsible to keep the chapel clean, chop wood


xvi

for the chapel stoves, and make sure that the widows in the ward

always had firewood.13 He told the quorum members that he

“felt his inability to fill his position when he could see others that

were more capable to occupy it than himself, . . . [but that] he

felt to press on with the help of the Lord.”14 This attitude was

typical of the humility with which he would accept callings

throughout his life.

As the bishop’s son, he had the opportunity to meet Church

leaders who visited the family home. On one occasion, in July of

1887, Patriarch John Smith visited and gave him his patriarchal

blessing (David O. was 13 at the time). After the blessing, Patriarch

Smith placed his hands on the young man’s shoulders and said,

“My boy, you have something to do besides playing marbles.”

David later went into the kitchen and said to his mother, “If he

thinks I’m going to stop playing marbles, he is mistaken.” His

mother set aside her work and tried to explain what Brother Smith

had meant. Although neither David O. McKay nor his mother

knew exactly what his future held, the experience showed that the

Lord had greater responsibilities in store for the young man.15

Throughout his teenage years, he remained active in Church

service and continued to gain knowledge and experience. In 1889,

at the age of 15, he was called as the Huntsville Ward’s Sunday

School secretary, a position he held until 1893, when he was called

to serve as a Sunday School teacher.16 His great love for the Sunday

School and for teaching would continue throughout his life.

Education, Missionary Service, and Marriage

David O. McKay once wrote, “There are three great epochs in

a man’s earthly life, upon which his happiness here and in eter-

nity may depend, [namely], his birth, his marriage, and his

choice of vocation.”17 Already blessed by birth and upbringing in

a righteous family, he continued to benefit from wise decisions

relating to his education, profession, and eventual marriage.

After completing his studies through the eighth grade in

Huntsville, he attended the Weber Stake Academy in Ogden for two

years. Then, during the 1893–94 school year, at the age of 20, he


xvii

returned to Huntsville and worked as a teacher at the town’s grade

school. Around this time, his Grandmother Evans made a financial

gift to each of her living children of $2,500. Money was scarce for

the McKay family, and neighbors suggested that David O. McKay’s

mother, Jennette, invest the money in stocks. However, she firmly

declared, “Every cent of this goes into the education of our chil-

dren.”18 Therefore, in the fall of 1894, he and three of his siblings

(Thomas E., Jeanette, and Annie) journeyed to Salt Lake City by

wagon to attend the University of Utah. The wagon was filled with

flour and jars of fruit and had a milk cow trailing behind.19

Of David O. McKay’s university experience, his son Llewelyn

wrote: “School was important. The love for learning grew by

leaps and bounds; deep friendships were formed; and his fine

sense of values was enhanced. He became the president of his

class and was selected valedictorian. . . . Participating with

enthusiasm in sports, he became right guard on the university’s

first football team. The greatest event during this time was his

acquaintance with Emma Ray Riggs.”20

During the second year of their university education, the McKay

students rented a house from Emma Robbins Riggs, the mother of

Emma Ray Riggs. One day, the mother and daughter stood at the

window and watched as David O. and Thomas E. McKay arrived

with their mother. Emma Ray’s mother commented: “There are

two young men who will make some lucky girls good husbands.

See how considerate they are of their mother.” Emma Ray then

remarked, “I like the dark one,” who was David O. McKay.

Although he and Emma Ray Riggs saw each other occasionally,

they did not develop a serious relationship until a few years later.21

Upon completing his university studies in the spring of 1897,

David O. McKay was offered a job as a teacher in Salt Lake County.

He was happy for the position and wanted to begin earning money

to help the rest of his family. However, around this same time he

received and accepted a call to serve a mission in Great Britain.

On 1 August 1897, he was set apart by President Seymour B.

Young to serve as a missionary in the British Isles. The first part

of his mission was spent in Stirling, Scotland, where the work was

slow and difficult. He fulfilled his work diligently and on 9 June


xviii

1898, he was called to preside over the missionaries in Scotland.

Upon receiving the calling, he turned to the Lord for help. His

responsibilities in this calling gave him maturity and experience

beyond his years and prepared him for future service.

Another significant experience took place just three months

before he went home. As a youth, he had often prayed for a spir-

itual confirmation regarding his testimony. On 29 May 1899, he

attended a memorable missionary meeting. He recounted: “I

remember, as if it were but yesterday, the intensity of the inspi-

ration of that occasion. Everybody felt the rich outpouring of the

Spirit of the Lord. All present were truly of one heart and one

mind. Never before had I experienced such an emotion. It was a

manifestation for which as a doubting youth I had secretly

prayed most earnestly on hillside and in meadow. It was an

assurance to me that sincere prayer is answered ‘sometime,

somewhere.’ During the progress of the meeting, an elder on his

own initiative arose and said, ‘Brethren, there are angels in this

room.’ Strange as it may seem, the announcement was not star-

tling; indeed, it seemed wholly proper, though it had not

occurred to me there were divine beings present. I only knew

that I was overflowing with gratitude for the presence of the

Holy Spirit.” 22 Elder McKay finished his mission honorably and

was released in August of 1899.

During his mission he had corresponded with Emma Ray

Riggs, or “Ray,” as he affectionately called her (her parents had

named her for a ray of sunshine). Their courtship began to blos-

som through the mail between Scotland and Salt Lake City. He

found in her a person who was his equal in every way, including

intelligence, social graces, and spiritual qualities.

She had continued her schooling while David O. McKay was on

his mission, and after graduating with a B.A. in education, she

took a position at the Madison School in Ogden, Utah.23 At the

same time, the fall of 1899, he joined the faculty of the Weber

Stake Academy. During that school year, the two of them often

met in a park between their schools. It was there, in December

1900, that he asked her to marry him. She asked, “Are you sure

I’m the right one?” He said he was sure.24 On 2 January 1901,

xix


Emma Ray Riggs and David O. McKay became the first couple in

the 20th century to be married in the Salt Lake Temple.

A Legendary Educator

In 1902, at the age of 28, he became the principal of the Weber

Stake Academy. In spite of many administrative responsibilities,

he continued to take an active part in the education of the stu-

dents. He remained committed to education throughout his life,

believing that “true education seeks to make men and women

The relationship between President McKay and his wife, Emma Ray Riggs McKay

(shown above), served as a model for Church members to follow.


xx

not only good mathematicians, proficient linguists, profound

scientists, or brilliant literary lights, but also, honest men, with

virtue, temperance, and brotherly love. It seeks to make men

and women who prize truth, justice, wisdom, benevolence, and

self-control as the choicest acquisitions of a successful life.” 25

He believed that education was important for everyone. He

served as a principal during an era when very few women

received a secondary education. In discussing the important role

of women, he wrote the following: “Not much emphasis has

been placed upon the part that women played in the settlement

of the Western Empire. In this we are but following the general

practice of men throughout the ages. Women bear the burdens

of the household, carry most of the responsibility of rearing a

family, inspire their husbands and sons to achieve success; and

while the latter are being given the applause of public acclaim,

the wives and mothers who really merit recognition and com-

mendation remain smilingly content in unheralded achieve-

ment.” 26 While working at the Weber Stake Academy, he

emphasized the importance of education for both sexes, and

female student enrollment greatly increased during his tenure.

During the years he served as a professional educator and

administrator at the Weber Stake Academy, he also served in the

Weber Stake Sunday School presidency, where he developed

new programs. At the time he was called to the Sunday School

presidency, the organization received little formal direction from

general Church leadership. As the second assistant superintend-

ent—assigned to classwork—David O. McKay immediately began

working to improve classroom teaching and learning by using

the methods he had learned as a professional educator. One

Sunday School leader described his work as follows:

“He first called for weekly meetings of the stake board members.

He drilled the members in outlining lessons and in selecting an

aim (now called objective) for each lesson. He drilled them in

organizing and illustrating the aim. He stressed lesson presentation

and application of the aim in each child’s life. This was followed

by a monthly . . . meeting to which all the ward Sunday School

teachers and officers were asked to come, having previously read


xxi

the lessons to be considered. . . . As a result of these . . . meetings,

teachers went home with a ‘bundle of notes’ on each of four les-

sons for the month ahead. . . . [These] meetings became very pop-

ular with 90 per cent to 100 per cent attendance at each.”27

News spread quickly of the great success of the Weber Stake

Sunday School. President Joseph F. Smith, who at that time also

served as the general superintendent of the Sunday Schools, was

impressed with David O. McKay’s innovative ideas regarding

teaching and invited him to write an article for the Juvenile

Instructor, a Sunday School magazine.28

Apostle of the Lord

Emphasis on Teaching and Learning

On 9 April 1906, after having served six years in the Weber

Stake Sunday School, he was ordained an Apostle at the age of 32.

Soon thereafter, he was also sustained as the second assistant in

the General Sunday School superintendency. He then became

first assistant in 1909, and general superintendent from 1918 to

1934. The same innovations he used in the Weber Stake Sunday

School were quickly put into practice by the entire Church.

Seeing a need for uniform lessons, he wrote the book Ancient

Apostles, which was prepared as one of the first Sunday School

lesson manuals.

Elder McKay’s name became synonymous with the Sunday

School in the years he served in the Quorum of the Twelve, and

he was still writing lessons for the Sunday School when he

became President of the Church. In working to improve gospel

instruction, his emphasis often focused on children. In his words,

children come “from the Father pure and undefiled, without

inherent taints or weakness. . . . Their souls are as stainless white

paper on which are to be written the aspirations or achievements

of a lifetime.”29 He saw the Sunday School as playing a key role in

teaching and building character in children and youth.

World Tour and European Mission President

Other experiences prepared David O. McKay to eventually

lead a worldwide Church. In December 1920, he and Elder


xxii

Hugh J. Cannon, editor of the Improvement Era, were set apart

by President Heber J. Grant and his first counselor, President

Anthon H. Lund, to tour all Church missions and schools

throughout the world. During the tour, which lasted a year, they

traveled approximately 60,000 miles (more than twice the cir-

cumference of the earth), teaching and blessing Church mem-

bers worldwide. Despite difficulties such as seasickness,

homesickness, and other challenges in traveling, they had a suc-

cessful mission and arrived home on Christmas Eve, 1921. In the

days following their arrival, they made a full report to President

Grant and were honorably released.30 In the first general confer-

ence after their return, President Grant declared:

“I rejoice in the fact that Brother McKay is with us today.

Brother McKay has circled the globe since he was last at a con-

ference—has visited our missions in nearly every part of the

world, and has returned, as every missionary does return who

goes out to proclaim this gospel and comes in contact with the

people of the world and with all the varieties of faiths of the

world, with increased light, knowledge and testimony regarding

the divinity of the work in which we are engaged.” 31

When it was Elder McKay’s turn to speak in conference, he sum-

marized his travels with a strong testimony: “When we left home,

. . . we looked forward with no little misgiving and anxiety to the

trip ahead of us. . . . The keen sense of our responsibility, ade-

quately to fulfil the desires of President Grant and his counselors

and the Twelve, who had honored us with that call, made us seek

the Lord as I had never sought him before in my life, and I wish to

say this afternoon that the promise made by Moses to the children

of Israel just before they crossed the Jordan River into the Promised

land, has been fulfilled in our experiences. As we sought the Lord

with all our souls He came to our guidance and assistance.”32

Shortly after his return from the world tour, he was called to be

the president of the European Mission. He left for Liverpool in

November of 1922. It was during this calling that he began to

teach the concept of “every member a missionary,” an emphasis he

would later continue as Church President. As a mission president,

he reorganized missionaries into groups, with several missionaries


xxiii

acting as traveling elders to help train the other missionaries in

better teaching methods. One of his greatest challenges was to

defuse negative press. His method was to personally contact the

editors and reason with them, asking for equal opportunity to

present the truth about the Church. A few editors refused his

requests, but many were very receptive to him.33 His public rela-

tions skills proved to be a great blessing to the Church during his

mission presidency and throughout his ministry.

Sustained to the First Presidency

In the fall of 1934, he was sustained as second counselor to

President Heber J. Grant. President J. Reuben Clark Jr., who had

been serving as President Grant’s second counselor, became first

counselor. Although President McKay came into the First

Presidency with a strong Church background, on the day he was

sustained he still felt humbled by the calling. He stated: “Needless

to say I am overwhelmed. During the past few days I have had dif-

ficulty in keeping my thoughts and feelings under control. The

light heart, the buoyancy of spirit that should accompany the high

appointment that has come to me has been somewhat counter-

balanced by a heaviness incident to the realization of the great

responsibility that comes with the call to the First Presidency.”34

Even after many years of service as a General Authority, he admit-

ted that it was “always more or less an ordeal for me to face an

audience,” knowing the magnitude of his responsibilities.35

During President McKay’s early years in the First Presidency,

Church members were facing the Great Depression. In 1936, the

First Presidency officially announced the Church Security

Program, which would later become the Church Welfare Program.

As a strong supporter of welfare, President McKay emphasized

that spirituality and welfare were synonymous: “It is something to

supply clothing to the scantily clad, to furnish ample food to those

whose table is thinly spread, to give activity to those who are fight-

ing desperately the despair that comes from enforced idleness,

but after all is said and done, the greatest blessings that will accrue

from the Church Security Plan are spiritual. There is more spiritu-

ality expressed in giving than in receiving. The greatest spiritual

blessing comes from helping another.”36


xxiv

Following the death of President Grant in 1945, George Albert

Smith became President of the Church and called President

McKay to serve as his second counselor. His duties continued

much as they had before, with new opportunities and challenges

constantly arising. One of the most demanding projects he

undertook was an appointment as the chairman of Utah’s cen-

tennial celebration, which involved many months of planning

amid his already heavy workload. The statewide celebration,

which culminated in July 1947, was hailed as a great success. A

local newspaper reported the following:

“Rodney C. Richardson, Coordinator of California centennial

affairs, came to Salt Lake City to study Utah’s Centennial, which,

he said, was conceded to have ‘the best planning in the nation.

Lack of commercialism is one of the outstanding features of the

Utah Centennial. It has been a true historical celebration.’ ” In

addition to the praise from California, several other states

wrote, requesting plans and other literature associated with the

celebration.37

As President George Albert Smith’s health began to decline,

the responsibilities of his two counselors increased. In the

spring of 1951, President McKay and his wife, Emma Ray,

decided to drive from Salt Lake City to California for a much-

needed vacation. Stopping in St. George, Utah, the first night,

President McKay awoke with a distinct impression that he should

return to Salt Lake City. A few days later President George Albert

Smith suffered a stroke and passed away on 4 April 1951.

Prophet of a Worldwide Church

Missionary Work and Church Growth

After having served for 45 years as an Apostle, David O. McKay

became the ninth President of the Church on 9 April 1951, with

Stephen L Richards and J. Reuben Clark Jr. as counselors. In 1952,

the First Presidency introduced the first official proselyting plan

for full-time missionaries. The program was designed to increase

the effectiveness of full-time missionaries by providing a standard

outline of the discussions to be used in teaching investigators. The


xxv

outline included five discussions entitled “The Book of Mormon,”

“Historical Basis for the Restoration,” “Distinctive Doctrines of the

Church,” “Responsibilities of Church Membership,” and

“Becoming a Member of the Church.”38

Nine years later, in 1961, he convened the first seminar for all

mission presidents, who were taught to encourage families to

fellowship their friends and neighbors and then have these

people taught by missionaries in their homes.39 Emphasizing the

concept of “every member a missionary,” he urged every mem-

ber to make a commitment to bring at least one new member

into the Church each year. A language training institute for newly

called missionaries was also established that year. With these

new initiatives, Church membership and the number of full-time

missionaries grew rapidly. Under his direction, the number of

stakes more than doubled (to approximately 500) as new stakes

were formed around the world in such countries as Argentina,

Australia, Brazil, England, Germany, Guatemala, Mexico, the

Netherlands, Samoa, Scotland, Switzerland, Tonga, and Uruguay.

Also in 1961, to accommodate this tremendous growth, mem-

bers of the First Quorum of the Seventy were made high priests

so that they could preside at stake conferences, and the new

office of regional representatives of the Twelve was established

in 1967.

Travels as President

President McKay traveled more miles than all of his predeces-

sors combined. In 1952, he began the first of several important

trips—a nine-week trip to Europe, where he visited nine countries

and several missions. At the first stop in Scotland, he dedicated

that country’s first chapel, which was located in Glasgow.

Throughout the remainder of the trip, he held approximately 50

meetings with Church members, gave numerous interviews, and

visited with dignitaries from many countries.40 In 1954, he trav-

eled to the isolated mission in South Africa, being the first General

Authority to visit that area. In the second leg of his journey, he vis-

ited Church members in South America. In 1955, he visited the

South Pacific, and later in the summer of that same year, he

returned to Europe with the Tabernacle Choir.


xxvi

He felt that his travels brought “a keener realization on the part

of members of the Church that they are not detached entities but

are in reality part of the Church as a whole.”41 For the first time

the Church was truly becoming global. President McKay declared:

“God bless the Church. It is worldwide. Its influence should be

felt by all nations. May his spirit influence men everywhere and

incline their hearts toward good will and peace.”42

Increase in Temples

While in Europe in 1952, he made arrangements to construct

new temples, the first that would be built outside the United

States and Canada. The Bern Switzerland Temple was dedicated

in 1955, and the London England Temple was dedicated in

1958. Also dedicated during his presidency were the Los

Angeles California Temple (1956), the Hamilton New Zealand

Temple (1958), and the Oakland California Temple (1964).

Under his direction, films were used for the temple endow-

ment, making it possible for the ordinance to be received in var-

ious languages.

Coordination and Consolidation

In 1960, the First Presidency assigned Elder Harold B. Lee to

establish Church Correlation, with the intent of coordinating

and consolidating Church programs, reducing overlap, and

increasing efficiency and effectiveness. In a general conference

address announcing this initiative, Elder Lee stated: “This is a

move, which . . . has lain close to President McKay’s mind and

now as the President of the Church he is instructing us to move

forward, that we consolidate to make more efficient, and more

effective the work of the priesthood, the auxiliaries, and the

other units in order that we may conserve our time, our energy,

and our efforts toward the prime purpose for which the Church

itself has been organized.”43

Ambassador for the Church

Among people of other faiths, President McKay was regarded

as an important spiritual leader. He met with world leaders and

local government officials regularly. He was also visited by

United States presidents, including Harry S Truman, John F.


xxvii

Kennedy, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. On one occasion, U.S.

President Lyndon B. Johnson, who called President McKay often,

invited him to Washington, D.C., for personal counsel on several

issues that were troubling him. During the visit, President McKay

told him: “Let your conscience be your guide. Let the people

know that you are sincere, and they will follow you.”44

Beloved Speaker and Leader

Beginning in youth and throughout his life, President McKay

studied the words of great authors and frequently taught from

the passages he had memorized. For instance, he told Church

members: “Wordsworth’s heart leaped up when he beheld a

rainbow in the sky. Burns’ heart wept when his plowshare over-

turned a daisy. Tennyson could pluck the flower from the ‘cran-

nied wall,’ and see, if he could read in it the mystery, ‘all that

God and man is.’ All these, and other great men, have shown to

us, in the works of nature, the handiwork of God.”45

Church members loved to hear President McKay speak. His dis-

courses often included inspiring stories from his many experi-

ences, and he always appreciated good humor. He enjoyed telling

the story of a newspaper delivery boy who shook hands with him

before he got on an elevator. The boy then ran upstairs to greet

the aged prophet as he exited on the floor above. The boy said, “I

just wanted to shake hands with you once more before you die.”46

His general conference addresses emphasized the importance

of the home and family as the source of happiness and the surest

defense against trials and temptations. The axiom “no other suc-

cess can compensate for failure in the home” was often repeated

as he called on parents to spend more time with their children

and teach them about character and integrity. He taught, “Pure

hearts in a pure home are always in whispering distance of

heaven.”47 He called the home the “cell-unit of society” and

declared that “parenthood is next to Godhood.”48

He spoke of the sanctity of marriage and referred often to the

love he felt for his family and his wife, Emma Ray. Their marriage

of over 60 years became the model union for future generations

of Latter-day Saints. He admonished, “Let us teach youth that the

xxviiixxviii


marriage relation is one of the most sacred obligations known to

man, or that man can make.”49

As his health began to decline in the mid-1960s, he soon spent

much of his time in a wheelchair and called additional coun-

selors into the First Presidency. Despite his weakening physical

condition, he continued to conduct the business of the Church

and to teach, lead, and inspire. Not long before his death, he

spoke at a meeting in the Salt Lake Temple with the General

Authorities of the Church. Elder Boyd K. Packer, who was pres-

ent at the meeting, recalled the experience as follows:

“[President McKay] talked of the temple ordinances and

quoted at length from the ceremonies. He explained them to us.

(That was not inappropriate, considering that we were in the

temple.) After he had spoken for some time, he paused and

stood gazing up to the ceiling in deep thought.

“I remember that his big hands were in front of him with his

fingers interlocked. He stood gazing as people sometimes do

when pondering a deep question. Then he spoke: ‘Brethren, I

think I am finally beginning to understand.’

“Here he was, the prophet—an Apostle for over half a century

and even then he was learning, he was growing. His expression

‘I think I am finally beginning to understand,’ was greatly com-

forting to me.” 50 Even with his extensive understanding of the

gospel and his experience in the Church, President McKay was

humble enough to realize that he could still learn and discover

deeper levels of meaning.

After serving as the Lord’s prophet for almost 20 years,

President David O. McKay passed away on 18 January 1970 in

Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife, Emma Ray, and five of his chil-

dren at his bedside. In a tribute to him, President Harold B. Lee

stated that he had “left the world richer and heaven more glori-

ous by the rich treasures he has brought to each.”51 Of David O.

McKay’s legacy, his successor, President Joseph Fielding Smith,

declared: “He was a man of great spiritual strength, a natural-

born leader of men, and a man beloved by his people and hon-

ored by the world. For all time to come men shall rise up and

call his name blessed.”52

xxixxxix


1. See Jeanette McKay Morrell,Highlights in the Life of PresidentDavid O. McKay (1966), 6–8.

2. See Highlights in the Life of PresidentDavid O. McKay, 8–10.

3. Llewelyn R. McKay, Home Memories ofPresident David O. McKay (1956), 6.



6. Bryant S. Hinckley, “Greatness in Men:David O. McKay,” Improvement Era,May 1932, 391; paragraphing altered.

7. Jay M. Todd and Albert L. Zobell Jr.,“David O. McKay, 1873–1970,”Improvement Era, Feb. 1970, 12.

8. See Francis M. Gibbons, David O.McKay: Apostle to the World, Prophetof God (1986), 12–13.

9. “Peace through the Gospel of Christ,”Improvement Era, Mar. 1921, 405–6.

10. See Cherished Experiences from theWritings of President David O. McKay,comp. Clare Middlemiss, rev. ed.(1976), 8–9.

11. Gospel Ideals (1953), 459.

12. “Expressions of Gratitude and theImportance and Necessity for theConservation and Training of Youth,”The Instructor, Nov. 1966, 413.

13. See Highlights in the Life of PresidentDavid O. McKay, 28.

14. Leland H. Monson, “David O. McKayWas a Deacon, Too,” Instructor, Sept.1962, 299.



17. David Lawrence McKay, My Father,David O. McKay (1989), 120.


19. See Home Memories of PresidentDavid O. McKay, 8–9.

20. Home Memories of President DavidO. McKay, 9.

21. See My Father, David O. McKay, 1–2.

22. See Cherished Experiences from theWritings of President David O.McKay, 4–5; paragraphing altered.

23. See Home Memories of PresidentDavid O. McKay, 171.

24. See My Father, David O. McKay, 4–6.

25. Treasures of Life, comp. ClareMiddlemiss (1962), 472.

26. “Pioneer Women, Heroines of theWorld,” Instructor, July 1961, 217.

27. George R. Hill, “President David O.McKay . . . Father of the ModernSunday School,” Instructor, Sept.1960, 314; paragraphing altered.

28. See Instructor, Sept. 1960, 314; seealso “The Lesson Aim: How to SelectIt; How to Develop It; How to ApplyIt,” Juvenile Instructor, Apr. 1905,242–45.

29. “The Sunday School Looks Forward,”Improvement Era, Dec. 1949, 804.


31. In Conference Report, Apr. 1922, 16.


33. See Keith Terry, David O. McKay:Prophet of Love (1980), 89–93.

34. In Conference Report, Oct. 1934,89–90.

35. In Conference Report, Oct. 1949, 116.

36. Pathways to Happiness, comp.Llewelyn R. McKay (1957), 377; para-graphing altered.


38. See Deseret News, Church section, 9Apr. 1952, 9.

39. See “Every Member a Missionary,”Improvement Era, Oct. 1961, 709–11,730–31.

40. See My Father, David O. McKay,217–37.






46. See David O. McKay: Apostle to theWorld, Prophet of God, 232–33.


48. Pathways to Happiness, 117.

49. Pathways to Happiness, 113.

50. The Holy Temple (1980), 263.

51. Stand Ye in Holy Places: SelectedSermons and Writings of PresidentHarold B. Lee (1975), 178.


Notes

“Let men and women everywhere keep their eyes upon him who ever shines

as a Light to all the world—for Christ is the Way, the Truth, the Life.”

C H A P T E R 1

Jesus Christ: “The Way, the Truth, and the Life”

If he would seek the real purpose of life, the individual must live for something higher than self.

He hears the Savior’s voice saying, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. . . .” (John 14:6.) 1

Introduction

On 4 December 1920, Elder David O. McKay and his traveling

companion, Hugh J. Cannon, a stake president and editor of the

Church magazine the Improvement Era, began an assignment

from the First Presidency to visit and strengthen Church members

throughout the world. Their trip lasted one year and took them

approximately 60,000 miles, over half that distance traveled on

water. On the evening of 10 May 1921, as they sailed toward what

is now Western Samoa, Elder McKay had the following experience:

“Toward evening, the reflection of the afterglow of a beautiful

sunset was most splendid! . . . Pondering still upon this beautiful

scene, I lay in my [bed] at ten o’clock that night. . . . I then fell

asleep, and beheld in vision something infinitely sublime. In the

distance I beheld a beautiful white city. Though it was far away, yet

I seemed to realize that trees with luscious fruit, shrubbery with

gorgeously tinted leaves, and flowers in perfect bloom abounded

everywhere. The clear sky above seemed to reflect these beautiful

shades of color. I then saw a great concourse of people approach-

ing the city. Each one wore a white flowing robe and a white head-

dress. Instantly my attention seemed centered upon their leader,

and though I could see only the profile of his features and his

body, I recognized him at once as my Savior! The tint and radiance

of his countenance were glorious to behold. There was a peace

about him which seemed sublime—it was divine!

1

C H A P T E R 1

2

“The city, I understood, was his. It was the City Eternal; and

the people following him were to abide there in peace and

eternal happiness.

“But who were they?

“As if the Savior read my thoughts, he answered by pointing to

a semicircle that then appeared above them, and on which were

written in gold the words:

“These Are They Who Have Overcome the World—

Who Have Truly Been Born Again!”2

In his first general conference address as President of the

Church, President McKay reaffirmed his testimony of the Savior

and of the blessings that come to those who follow Him:

“No one can preside over this Church without first being in

tune with the head of the Church, our Lord and Savior, Jesus

Christ. He is our head. This is his Church. Without his divine

guidance and constant inspiration, we cannot succeed. With his

guidance, with his inspiration, we cannot fail. . . .

“. . . I know the reality of his existence, of his willingness to

guide and direct all who serve him.”3

Teachings of David O. McKay

Christ is the Light to humanity.

Christ is the light to humanity. In that light man sees his way

clearly; when it is rejected, the soul of man stumbles in darkness.

No person, no group, no nation can achieve true success with-

out following him who said:

“I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not

walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” ( John 8:12.)

It is a sad thing when individuals and nations extinguish that

light—when Christ and his gospel are supplanted by the law of

the jungle and the strength of the sword. The chief tragedy in the

world at the present time is its disbelief in God’s goodness and

its lack of faith in the teachings and doctrines of the gospel.4

C H A P T E R 1

3

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes that in

his life and teachings Jesus Christ reveals a standard of personal

living and of social relations that, if fully embodied in individual

lives and in human institutions, would not only ameliorate the

present ills of society, but would also bring happiness and peace

to mankind.

If it be said that . . . so-called Christian nations have failed to

achieve such a goal, we answer that all failure to do so may be

found in the fact that they have failed to apply the principles and

teachings of true Christianity. . . .

. . . The human family has suffered from unrestrained expres-

sions and manifestations of selfishness, hatred, envy, greed—ani-

mal passions that have led to war, devastation, pestilence, and

death. If even the simplest principles of the Savior’s teachings

had been observed, history would have been changed.5

When Christians throughout the world have this faith [in

Christ] coursing in their blood, when they feel a loyalty in their

hearts to the resurrected Christ, and to the principles connoted

thereby, mankind will have taken the first great step toward the

perpetual peace for which we daily are praying: Reject Him and

the world will be filled with hatred, and drenched in blood by

recurring wars.6

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the crucible in which hate, envy,

and greed are consumed, and good will, kindness, and love

remain as inner aspirations by which man truly lives and builds.

Let men and women everywhere keep their eyes upon him

who ever shines as a Light to all the world—for Christ is the Way,

the Truth, the Life, the only safe Guide to that haven of peace for

which people the wide world over are earnestly praying.7

Christ taught and exemplified the way to the ideal life among our fellowmen.

“How can we know the way?” asked Thomas, as he sat with his

fellow apostles and their Lord at the table after the supper on

the memorable night of the betrayal; and Christ’s divine answer

was: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. . . .” ( John 14:5–6.)

C H A P T E R 1

4

And so he is! He is the source of our comfort, the inspiration of

our life, the author of our salvation. If we want to know our rela-

tionship to God, we go to Jesus Christ. If we would know the

truth of the immortality of the soul, we have it exemplified in the

Savior’s resurrection.

If we desire to learn the ideal life to lead among our fellow-

men, we can find a perfect example in the life of Jesus.

Whatsoever our noble desires, our lofty aspirations, our ideals in

any phase of life, we can look to Christ and find perfection. So,

in seeking a standard for moral manhood, we need only to go to

the Man of Nazareth and in him find embodied all virtues that go

to make the perfect man.

The virtues that combined to make this perfect character are

truth, justice, wisdom, benevolence, and self-control. His every

thought, word, and deed were in harmony with divine law and,

therefore, true. The channel of communication between him

and the Father was constantly open, so that truth, which rests

upon revelation, was always known to him.8

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accepts as lit-

erally true the words of Jesus: “I am come that they might have

life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” ( John 10:10.)

We believe, however, that this abundant life is obtained not only

from spiritual exaltation, but also by the application to daily life

of the principles that Jesus taught.

These principles are few and simple and may, if desired, be

applied by every normal person. The first of these, and the foun-

dation upon which a true Christian society is built, is: “And thou

shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy

soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. . . .” (Mark

12:30.) A belief in a Supreme Being who lives and loves his chil-

dren—a belief that gives power and vigor to the soul. An assur-

ance that he can be approached for guidance, and that he will

manifest himself to those who seek him.

Another is the acceptance of the truth that life is a gift of God

and therefore divine. The proper use of this gift impels man to

become the master, not the slave, of nature. His appetites are to be

C H A P T E R 1

5

controlled and used for the benefit of his health and the prolonga-

tion of life. His passions are to be mastered and controlled for the

happiness and blessings of others and the perpetuity of the race.

A third principle is personal integrity. By this I mean plain,

everyday honesty, sobriety, and respect for others’ rights, such as

will win the confidence of one’s fellows. This recognition applies

to nations as well as to individuals. It is as wrong for a nation,

because it is powerful, to steal from another and oppress it as it

is for an individual to rob and kill his neighbor.

A fourth essential is social consciousness that awakens in each

individual the realization that it is his duty to make the world

better for his having been in it.9

The Savior’s life was guided principally by . . . Individual

Purity and Service. He kept himself wholly unspotted from the

sins of the world, and devoted his life to the consideration of

others, to salvation for the human family. He was always looking

out for the oppressed, comforting the sick, healing the maimed

and disabled, giving his life for the world.10

There is imperative need of a drastic change in men’s dealings

with one another. Never has there been a time in the history of the

world when a change for the better was more imperative. And

since rejection of Christ’s teachings has resulted in repeated

disaster, with only intermittent periods of respite and peace and

progress, why in the name of reason should people not be willing

to substitute for selfish aggrandizement Christ’s principle of broth-

erly consideration, of fair dealing, of the value and sacredness of

human life, of the virtue of forgiveness, of the condemnation of the

sin of hypocrisy and of covetousness, of the saving power of love.11

Members of the Church of Christ are under obligation to

make the sinless Son of Man their ideal. He is the one Perfect

Being who ever walked the earth; the sublimest example of

nobility; Godlike in nature; perfect in his love; our Redeemer;

our Savior; the immaculate Son of our Eternal Father; the Light,

the Life, the Way.12

I accept Jesus Christ as the personification of human

perfection.13

C H A P T E R 1

6

Christ’s teachings are applicable to everyday life.

I believe in every word that Jesus spoke, and to me the teach-

ing is applicable in my life and yours. Keeping in mind the fact

that we are the children of our Father in heaven, when we seek

the kingdom of God, first, we become conscious of a new aim in

life. . . . Only in the complete surrender of our inner life may we

rise above the selfish, sordid pull of nature. . . .

For two thousand years, practically, men have considered

[Christ’s teachings] as impractical—too ideal, they say, but if we

sincerely believe in Christ’s divinity, that he is “the way, the truth,

and the life” (see John 14:6), we cannot consistently doubt the

applicability of his teachings to everyday life.

True, there are weighty problems to solve—evils of the slums,

the ever-recurring conflicts between labor and capital, drunken-

ness, prostitution, international hatreds, and a hundred other

current questions. But if heeded, Christ’s appeal for personal

integrity, honor, fair-dealing, and love is basic in the proper solu-

tion of all these social and economic difficulties.

Most certainly before the world even approaches these ideals,

men’s hearts must be changed. Christ came into the world for

that very purpose. The principal reason for preaching the gospel

is to change men’s hearts and lives. . . . Those who have been

converted . . . can testify how the conversion has changed their

lives. . . . By such conversion they bring peace and good will to

the world instead of strife [and] suffering.14

As a first step, . . . make truly applicable the simple injunction of

putting one’s self in the other fellow’s place, the surest of all means

of eliminating the bitterness that characterizes misunderstandings.

No thinking person can say truthfully that the application of

this one simple act if practiced among individuals and nations

would not bring about a better world!

Equally effective and applicable are His teachings regarding

the value and sacredness of human life, the virtue of forgiveness,

the necessity of fair dealing, His condemnation of the sin of

hypocrisy, and of covetousness, His teachings regarding the sav-

ing power of love, and of the immortality of the soul.15

C H A P T E R 1

7

Living the teachings of Christ leads to true greatness and happiness.

No man can sincerely resolve to apply in his daily life the

teachings of Jesus of Nazareth without sensing a change in his

nature. The phrase “born again” has a deeper significance than

what many people attach to it. This changed feeling may be inde-

scribable, but it is real.

Happy the person who has truly sensed the uplifting, trans-

forming power that comes from this nearness to the Savior, this

kinship to the living Christ. I am thankful that I know that Christ

is my Redeemer.16

The highest of all ideals are the teachings and particularly the

life of Jesus of Nazareth, and that man is most truly great who is

most Christlike.

What you sincerely in your heart think of Christ will determine

what you are, will largely determine what your acts will be. No

person can study this divine personality, can accept his teachings

without becoming conscious of an uplifting and refining influ-

ence within himself.17

By choosing him as our ideal, we create within ourselves a

desire to be like him, to have fellowship with him. We perceive

life as it should be and as it may be.18

He promised no material rewards, but he did promise

perfected, divine manhood. . . . “Be ye perfect, even as your

Father which is in heaven is perfect.” [See Matthew 5:48.] And

with that divine manhood comes the resultant happiness,

true happiness.19

The gospel, the glad tidings of great joy, is the true guide to

mankind; and that man or woman is happiest and most content

who lives nearest to its teachings, which are the antitheses of

hatred, persecution, tyranny, domination, injustice—things

which foster tribulation, destruction, and death throughout the

world. What the sun in the heavenly blue is to the earth strug-

gling to get free from winter’s grip, so the gospel of Jesus Christ

is to the sorrowing souls yearning for something higher and

better than mankind has yet found on earth.

C H A P T E R 1

8

What a glorious condition will be in this old world when it can

truthfully be said to Christ, the Redeemer of mankind, “All men

seek for thee.” (Mark 1:37.) Selfishness, envy, hatred, lying, steal-

ing, cheating, disobedience, quarreling, and fighting among

nations will then be no more!20

We celebrate his birth in whose mission on earth (1) God is

glorified; (2) earth is promised peace; (3) all men [are] given the

assurance of God’s good will toward them!

If every man born into the world would have as the beacon of

his life these three glorious ideals—how much sweeter and hap-

pier life would be! With such an aim, everyone would seek all

that is pure, just, honorable, virtuous, and true—all that leads to

perfection. . . . He would eschew that which is impure, dishon-

orable, or vile. If every man desired to show good will toward his

fellow men and strove to express that desire in a thousand kind

sayings and little deeds that would reflect unselfishness and self-

sacrifice, what a contribution each would make toward universal

peace on earth and the happiness of mankind!21

What a more delightful world this would be if, for example,

man earnestly strove to apply Christ’s advice: “If ye have aught

against a brother, go to him.” [See Matthew 5:23–24.] Or, again,

His admonition: “seek first the kingdom of God and His right-

eousness” [see Matthew 6:33], which means, simply, be not so

anxious about worldly things as to make them of superior worth

to spiritual attainment.22

I feel, and know, that through him and through him only, and

by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ, can we find happiness

and salvation in this world and eternal life in the world to come.23

Suggestions for Study and Discussion

• What are some of the major problems facing mankind today?

What specific principles taught by Jesus Christ would help

resolve these problems? How would they help resolve them?

• Why is faith in Jesus Christ essential to improve conditions in

the world today? What does it mean to you that Jesus Christ is

“the way, the truth, and the life”?

C H A P T E R 1

9

• What prevents people today from applying the Savior’s teach-

ings in their lives? In what ways can we as a Church and as

individuals promote His standards in the world?

• Jesus Christ said that He came into the world that we “might

have life, and that [we] might have it more abundantly” ( John

10:10; see page 4). In what ways has the Savior helped you

have a more abundant life?

• President McKay testified of Jesus Christ as the “personifica-

tion of human perfection” (page 5). What are some of the

characteristics of Jesus Christ that make Him the example of

perfection? (See pages 4–5.) To what extent are these charac-

teristics realistically attainable in our lives? What can we do to

make our individual lives more Christlike?

• President McKay taught that those who apply the Savior’s

teachings will sense a change in themselves (see page 7). How

have you seen this to be true in your life or the lives of others?

What is the significance of President McKay’s use of the words

“born again”? (See pages 7–8.)

Related Scriptures: Matthew 11:28–30; John 13:15–17; 3 Nephi

27:21–22, 27; D&C 84:49–54

Notes


2. Cherished Experiences from theWritings of President David O.McKay, comp. Clare Middlemiss, rev.ed. (1976), 59–60; paragraphingaltered.

3. In Conference Report, Apr. 1951, 157,159.

4. Treasures of Life, comp. ClareMiddlemiss (1962), 203–4.

5. “What Doth It Profit?” ImprovementEra, Jan. 1970, 2.

6. In Conference Report, Apr. 1944,124–25.

7. “Walk in the Light,” Improvement Era,Apr. 1954, 222.

8. In Conference Report, Apr. 1968, 6–7.

9. “What Doth It Profit?” ImprovementEra, Jan. 1970, 3.


11. “Walk in the Light,” Improvement Era,Apr. 1954, 221–22.

12. Treasures of Life, 210.

13. In Conference Report, Oct. 1965,144.

14. In Conference Report, Oct. 1953,10–11; paragraphing altered.







21. Gospel Ideals (1953), 36–37.



10

President McKay taught that our “earthly existence is but a test” to see whether we

choose to follow and develop our carnal nature or our spiritual nature.

C H A P T E R 2

The Dual Nature of Man

The question, then, is: Which will give the more abundant life—pampering our physical

nature or developing our spiritual selves? Is not that the real problem?1

Introduction

In a general conference address in 1949, President McKay

related the following story:

“There is an old story . . . which told of the experience of a

great artist who was engaged to paint a mural for the cathedral

in a Sicilian town. The subject was the life of Christ. For many

years the artist labored diligently, and finally the painting was fin-

ished except for the two most important figures, the Christ Child

and Judas Iscariot. He searched far and wide for models for

those two figures.

“ ‘One day while walking in an old part of the city he came

upon some children playing in the street. Among them was a

twelve-year-old boy whose face stirred the painter’s heart. It was

the face of an angel—a very dirty one, perhaps, but the face he

needed.

“ ‘The artist took the child home with him, and day after day the

boy sat patiently until the face of the Christ Child was finished.

“ ‘But the painter failed to find a model for Judas. For years,

haunted by the fear that his masterpiece would remain unfin-

ished, he continued his search.

“ ‘One afternoon, in a tavern, the painter saw a gaunt and tat-

tered figure stagger across the threshold and fall to the floor,

begging for a glass of wine. The painter lifted him up and looked

into a face that startled him. It seemed to bear the marks of every

sin of mankind.

11

C H A P T E R 2

12

“ ‘ “Come with me,” the painter said, “I will give you wine,

food, and clothing.”

“ ‘Here at last was his model for Judas. For many days and

parts of many nights the painter worked feverishly to complete

his masterpiece.

“ ‘As the work went on, a change came over the model. A

strange tension replaced the stuporous languor, and his blood-

shot eyes were fixed with horror on the painted likeness of him-

self. One day, perceiving his subject’s agitation, the painter

paused in his work, saying, “My son, I’d like to help you. What

troubles you so?”

“ ‘The model sobbed and buried his face in his hands. After a

long moment he lifted pleading eyes to the old painter’s face.

“ ‘ “Do you not then remember me? Years ago I was your

model for the Christ Child!” ’ ”

After relating the story, President McKay said, “Well, the story

may be fact or fiction, but the lesson it teaches is true to life. The

dissipated man made a wrong choice in his youth, and in seek-

ing gratification in indulgence sank ever lower and lower until

he wallowed in the gutter.” 2


Each of us has two contrasting natures: the physical and the spiritual.

Man is a dual being, and his life a plan of God. That is the first

fundamental fact to keep in mind. Man has a natural body and

a spiritual body. In declaring this fact the scriptures are very

explicit:

“And the Gods formed man from the dust of the ground, and

took his spirit (that is, the man’s spirit), and put it into him; and

breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a

living soul.” [Abraham 5:7.]

Man’s body, therefore, is but the tabernacle in which his

spirit dwells. Too many, far too many, are prone to regard the

body as the man, and consequently to direct their efforts to the

C H A P T E R 2

13

gratifying of the body’s pleasures, its appetites, its desires, its

passions. Too few recognize that the real man is an immortal

spirit, which [is] “intelligence or the light of truth,” [see D&C

93:29] animated as an individual entity before the body was

begotten, and that this spiritual entity with all its distinguish-

ing traits will continue after the body ceases to respond to its

earthly environment. Said the Savior:

“I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world:

again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.” ( John 16:28.)

As Christ’s pre-existent Spirit animated a body of flesh and

bones, so does the pre-existent spirit of every human being born

into this world. Will you keep that in mind as the first basic truth

of life?

The question, then, is: Which will give the more abundant

life—pampering our physical nature or developing our spiritual

selves? Is not that the real problem? 3

Indulgence in appetites and desires of the physical man satisfy

but for the moment and may lead to unhappiness, misery, and

possible degradation; spiritual achievements give “joy not to be

repented of.”

In his epistle to the Galatians, Paul specifically enumerates the

“works of the flesh,” as he calls them, and the “fruits of the

Spirit.” Note this classification: The works of the flesh are mani-

fest as these:

“. . . Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

“Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath,

strife, seditions, heresies,

“Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of

the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that

they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,

gentleness, goodness, faith,

“Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the

affections and lusts.

C H A P T E R 2

14

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Gal.

5:19–25.)4

There is something higher than the animal life; namely, the spir-

itual realm where there is love, the divinest attribute of the human

soul. There are also sympathy, kindness and other attributes.5

There is something within [man] which urges him to rise above

himself, to control his environment, to master the body and all

things physical and live in a higher and more beautiful world.6

Man has a greater destiny than just a mere animal life. That is a

touch of the spirit! Every man who has sensed that has a testimony

himself and every woman also has a testimony herself, that man is

a dual being. He has a body, just as all other animals have. But he

has something that comes only from his Father in heaven, and he

is entitled, is susceptible to whisperings, susceptible to influences

from his Divine Parent, through the Holy Ghost, the medium

between us and God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ.7

Life is a test to see which of our two natures we will follow and develop.

Man’s earthly existence is but a test as to whether he will

concentrate his efforts, his mind, his soul, upon things which

contribute to the comfort and gratification of his physical

nature, or whether he will make as his life’s pursuit the acqui-

sition of spiritual qualities.

“Every noble impulse, every unselfish expression of love;

every brave suffering for the right; every surrender of self to

something higher than self; every loyalty to an ideal; every

unselfish devotion to principle; every helpfulness to humanity;

every act of self-control; every fine courage of the soul, unde-

feated by pretense or policy, but by being, doing, and living of

good for the very good’s sake—that is spirituality.” 8

Generally there is in man a divinity which strives to push him

onward and upward. We believe that this power within him is

the spirit that comes from God. Man lived before he came to this

earth, and he is here now to strive to perfect the spirit within. At

sometime in his life, every man is conscious of a desire to come

C H A P T E R 2

15

in touch with the Infinite. His spirit reaches out for God. This

sense of feeling is universal, and all men ought to be, in deepest

truth, engaged in the same great work—the search for and the

development of spiritual peace and freedom.9

The choice is given, whether we live in the physical world as

animals, or whether we use what earth offers us as a means of

living in the spiritual world that will lead us back into the pres-

ence of God.

This means specifically:

Whether we choose selfishness or whether we will deny our-

selves for the good of others;

Whether we will cherish indulgence of appetite [and] passion,

or whether we will develop restraint and self-control.

Whether we choose licentiousness or chastity;

Whether we will encourage hate or develop love;

Whether [we] practice cruelty or kindness;

Whether [we] be cynical or sanguine—hopeful;

Whether we be traitorous—disloyal to those who love us, to our

country, to the Church or to God—or whether we will be loyal;

Whether we be deceitful, or honest, our word our bond;

Whether [we have] a slanderous or a controlled tongue.10

Whether a man remains satisfied within what we designate the

animal world, satisfied with what the animal world will give him,

yielding without effort to the whim of his appetites and passions

and slipping farther and farther into the realm of indulgence, or

whether, through self-mastery, he rises toward intellectual,

moral, and spiritual enjoyments depends upon the kind of

choice he makes every day, nay, every hour of his life.11

What a travesty on human nature when a person or a group of

persons, though endowed with a consciousness of being able to

rise in human dignity to realms indiscernible by lower creatures,

yet will still be content to obey animal instincts, without putting

forth efforts to experience the joy of goodness, purity, self-

mastery, and faith that spring from compliance to moral rules!

How tragic it is when man, made a “little lower than the angels

C H A P T E R 2

16

and crowned with glory and honour” (Psalm 8:5), will content

himself to grovel on the animal plane.12

Earth in all its majesty and wonder is not the end and purpose

of creation. “. . . [My] glory,” says the Lord himself, “(is) to bring

to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39.)

And man in exercising the divine gift of free agency should feel

in duty bound, should sense the obligation to assist the Creator

in the accomplishment of this divine purpose.

The true end of life is not mere existence, not pleasure, not

fame, not wealth. The true purpose of life is the perfection of

humanity through individual effort, under the guidance of

God’s inspiration.

Real life is response to the best within us. To be alive only to

appetite, pleasure, pride, money-making, and not to goodness

and kindness, purity and love, poetry, music, flowers, stars, God

and eternal hopes, is to deprive one’s self of the real joy of living.13

Spirituality requires self-mastery and communion with God.

Spirituality, our true aim, is the consciousness of victory over

self and of communion with the Infinite.14

Spirituality impels one to conquer difficulties and acquire

more and more strength. To feel one’s faculties unfolding and

truth expanding the soul is one of life’s sublimest experiences.

Being true to self and being loyal to high ideals develops spiri-

tuality. The real test of any religion is the kind of man it makes.

Being “honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing

good to all men” [see Articles of Faith 1:13] are virtues which

contribute to the highest acquisition of the soul. It is the “divine

in man, the supreme, crowning gift that makes him king of all

created things.”15

The man who . . . [has] in mind making better the world in

which he lives, desiring to contribute to the happiness of his

family and his fellows, and who does all things for the glory of

God, will, to the extent that he denies himself for these ideals,

develop his spirituality. Indeed, only to the extent that he does

this will he rise above the plane of the animal world.16

C H A P T E R 2

17

Spirituality and morality as taught by the Latter-day Saints are

firmly anchored in fundamental principles, principles from which

the world can never escape even if it would, and the first funda-

mental is a belief—with Latter-day Saints a knowledge—in the

existence of a personal God. Latter-day Saint children have been

taught to recognize him, and to pray to him as one who can lis-

ten and hear and feel just as an earthly father can listen, hear and

feel, and they have absorbed into their very beings, from their

mothers and their fathers, the real testimony that this personal

God has spoken in this dispensation. There is a reality about it.17

I bear testimony that the channel of communication is open,

and the Lord is ready to guide and does guide his people. Isn’t

that worth resisting a temptation, to seek an opportunity to grat-

ify your appetite or your vanity as some others do, and when they

do, merit excommunication from the church, just for the gratifi-

cation of a whim or a passion? It’s open to you—two ways are

open. One leading to the spirit, the testimony of the spirit that is

in harmony with the spirit of creation, the Holy Ghost. The spirit

of the Lord animates and enlivens every spirit, in the church or

out of it. By Him we live and move and have our being, but the

testimony of the Holy Ghost is a special privilege. It’s like tuning

in your radio and hearing a voice on the other side of the world.

Men who are not within that radiation can’t hear it, but you hear

it, you hear that voice and you are entitled to that voice and the

guidance of it and it will come to you if you do your part. But if

you yield to your own instincts, your own desires, your own pas-

sions, and pride yourself into thinking and planning and schem-

ing, and think you are getting away with it, things will become

dark. You have accomplished your gratification and passion and

appetite, but you deny the spirit; you cut off the communication

between your spirit and the spirit of the Holy Ghost.18

I cannot think of any higher and more blessed ideal than so to

live in the Spirit that we might commune with the Eternal.19

When God becomes the center of our being, we become con-

scious of a new aim in life—spiritual attainment. Physical posses-

sions are no longer the chief goal in life. To indulge, nourish, and

delight the body as any animal may do is no longer the chief end

C H A P T E R 2

18

of mortal existence. God is not viewed from the standpoint of

what we may get from him, but rather from what we may give him.

Only in the complete surrender of our inner life may we rise

above the selfish, sordid pull of nature. What the spirit is to the

body, God is to the spirit. When the spirit leaves the body, it is

lifeless, and when we eliminate God from our lives, spirituality

languishes. . . .

. . . Let us resolve that from now on we are going to be men

and women of higher and more sterling character, more con-

scious of our weaknesses, more kind and charitable toward the

failings of others. Let us resolve that we shall practice more self-

control in our homes; that we shall control our tempers, our

feelings, and our tongues that they may not wander beyond the

bounds of right and purity; that we shall do more seeking to

develop the spiritual side of our lives, and realize how depend-

ent we are upon God for success in this life.20

The reality of God the Father, the reality of Jesus Christ, the

risen Lord, is a truth which should possess every human soul.

God is the center of the human mind as surely as the sun is the

center of this universe, and once we feel his Fatherhood, once

we feel his nearness, sense the divinity of the deity of the Savior,

the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ follow as naturally as the

day the night, and as night the day.21


• Why is it necessary that we have both a physical and a spiritual

nature? How can our appetites and passions be used for good

or evil?

• President McKay taught that life is a test to see which nature

we will follow (see pages 14–16). In what ways do we experi-

ence conflict between our physical and spiritual natures? What

choices can we make each day to enjoy such great spiritual

gifts as love, joy, and peace? (See pages 13–18.)

• What is the “natural man”? (Mosiah 3:19). Why is the natural

man an enemy to God? What must be done to “put off ” the

natural man? (See pages 16–18.)

C H A P T E R 2

19

• What influences cause many people to focus their lives on

gratifying only their physical nature? Why is it sometimes dif-

ficult to focus on spiritual things?

• What are some seemingly minor faults that can hamper our

spirituality? How can developing self-mastery help us increase

our spirituality? (See pages 16–18.)

• How does your relationship with God influence your spiritu-

ality? (See pages 16–18.) What can you do to center your life

in God the Father and Jesus Christ?

Related Scriptures: Job 32:8; 2 Nephi 2:27–29; Mosiah 16:1–5;

Abraham 3:24–25

Notes


2. In Conference Report, Apr. 1949,12–13; paragraphing altered.

3. Gospel Ideals, 395.

4. Gospel Ideals, 395–96.

5. Pathways to Happiness, comp.Llewelyn R. McKay (1957), 288.










15. In Conference Report, Oct. 1963, 8–9.



18. “Talk by President David O. McKayGiven to the North British Mission 1 March 1961,” Family and ChurchHistory Department Archives, TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints, 6–7.




20

“The . . . purpose of the organization of this great Church,

so complete, so perfect, is to bless the individual.”

C H A P T E R 3

The Purpose of the Church

The Church, with its complete organization, offers service and inspiration to all.1

Introduction

President David O. McKay had a great love for the Church and

a strong testimony of its mission to prepare for the final estab-

lishment of the kingdom of God. While serving in the Quorum

of the Twelve Apostles, he recalled the following experience:

“Just above the pulpit in the meetinghouse where as a boy I

attended Sunday services, there hung for many years a large

photograph of the late President John Taylor, and under it, in

what I thought were gold letters, this phrase:

“ ‘The Kingdom of God or Nothing’

“The sentiment impressed me as a mere child years before I

understood its real significance. I seemed to realize at that early

date that there is no other church or organization that

approaches the perfection or possesses the divinity that charac-

terizes the church of Jesus Christ. As a child I felt this intuitively;

in youth, I became thoroughly convinced of it; and today I treas-

ure it as a firm conviction of my soul. . . .

“The divinity of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

is shown in its organization as well as in its teachings. Godhood,

brotherhood, service—these three guiding principles . . . per-

meate all our Church activity.” 2

President McKay’s leadership reflected his firm conviction.

During his ministry as President, the Church experienced signif-

icant growth and progress worldwide, with membership increas-

ing from approximately one million to almost three million.

21

C H A P T E R 3

22

Describing President McKay’s role in this growth, two historians

noted the following:

“Early in his administration President David O. McKay, the first

to travel so extensively as Church President, toured missions in

Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the South Pacific, dedicating

two temple sites in Europe and announcing that a temple would

be built in New Zealand. In 1955 he declared that the Church

must ‘put forth every effort within reason and practicability to

place within reach of Church members in these distant missions

every . . . spiritual privilege that the Church has to offer’ [in

Conference Report, Apr. 1955, 25]. Building temples, increasing

the number of missions, organizing stakes worldwide, persuad-

ing the Saints to build up Zion in their homelands rather than

emigrate to America, and eventually putting Church leadership

into the hands of each country’s native people were all signifi-

cant steps toward fulfilling that goal.” 3

President McKay’s faith in the divine mission and destiny of

the Church continued to the end of his life. In a general confer-

ence address less than a year before his death, he taught: “God

has established his Church never to be thrown down nor given

to another people. And as God lives, and his people are true to

him and to one another, we need not worry about the ultimate

triumph of truth.” 4


The Church’s mission is to prepare for the final establishment of the kingdom of God.

The mission of the Church is to prepare the way for the final

establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth. Its purpose is,

first, to develop in men’s lives Christ-like attributes; and, second,

to transform society so that the world may be a better and more

peaceful place in which to live.5

What was the [emphasis] of Christ’s teaching when he came

among men? The first great proclamation was the announcement

that the kingdom of God is at hand. “Repent for the kingdom of

God is at hand.” [See Mark 1:15.] The fore-runner, John the

C H A P T E R 3

23

Baptist, preached that. He preached the coming of the Lord. He

showed the position which the Lord would hold in that kingdom

and the Savior bore witness to it and preached the same. And what

was the kingdom? Not a mythical, but a real kingdom; not only a

feeling within, but also an outward expression of righteousness. It

was divine government among men. That was what the Savior had

in mind, the establishing of a divine government among men.6

The term [kingdom of God] implies divine rule in the hearts

and wills of men and in society. Man acknowledges a power and

authority superior to his own. “It is not the arbitrary rule of a

despotic Deity, but is based upon man’s voluntary submission of

his will to that of God’s.” On one occasion Jesus said, “The king-

dom of God is within you.” [Luke 17:21.] That is true, for it is in

the heart of man that membership in the outward kingdom has

its origin. . . . Only such a group looking as one mind to heaven

for guidance can eventually transform human society.

The Kingdom of God implies also a universal brotherhood in

which all men acknowledge God as their Supreme Ruler and

cherish the desire to obey His divine will.7

There are those in the world who say that jealousy, enmity,

[and] selfishness in men’s hearts will always preclude the estab-

lishing of the ideal society known as the Kingdom of God. No

matter what doubters and scoffers say, the mission of the Church

of Christ is to eliminate sin and wickedness from the hearts of

men, and so to transform society that peace and good-will will

prevail on this earth.8

Priesthood quorums and auxiliary organizations aredesigned to help accomplish the Church’s mission.

Consider the priesthood of the Church. Picture therein the men

and boys organized in working sections or groups, from the father

ninety years old, down to the boy twelve years of age. In these

groups you find exemplified all that human society seeks in social

groups and in societies. There is opportunity in these quorum

groups for fellowship, brotherhood, and organized service. . . .

Those who are active are working in an organized way for

the betterment of one another, for the personal welfare of the

C H A P T E R 3

24

membership and for the good of society as a whole. If we con-

sidered no further than the quorums, is not that a sublime pic-

ture, where men and boys may congregate, associate, affiliate

in service for humanity, in which every man considers everyone

a brother? In that quorum the doctor sits by the side of a car-

penter, each interested in the most ennobling of aspirations—

worship of God and helpful service to humanity!9

The responsibility of the Relief Society is to aid the priesthood

in establishing the kingdom of God, in relieving the suffering

and giving succor to the poor, and in many ways in contributing

to the peace and happiness of the world. . . .

One of the most encouraging promises ever given to people

who love service is that made by the Savior in these words,

“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my

brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matt. 25:40.) . . . I grew to

manhood before I realized the significance of the service that is

rendered by our sisters in this Church.10

The Church, recognizing the potency of other influences

besides the home in the growing child’s life before he reaches

self-determination, offers a religious environment almost from

the time of birth. The Sunday School, the Primary, the [Young

Men and Young Women organizations] arrange suitable instruc-

tion, entertainment, and proper guidance from the cradle roll to

maturity.11

The Latter-day Saints are truly a people who aid one another

in the productive life, a life that tends towards the salvation of

the human being. By that salvation I do not mean just a place in

the hereafter where all our cares and worries may cease, but a

salvation that applies to the individual, to the family and to soci-

ety here and now. Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the

perfect organization of the Church as revealed in this dispensa-

tion to the Prophet Joseph Smith, we are aiding one another

spiritually by taking advantage of the many opportunities for

service in the Church. We are fostering brotherhood by activity

and association in priesthood quorums, in auxiliary associations

and in our social gatherings.12

C H A P T E R 3

25

As the Church fulfills its mission, it blesses and perfects individuals.

To members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,

the worth of the individual has a special meaning. Quorums, aux-

iliaries, wards, stakes, even the Church itself are all organized to

further the welfare of man. All are but means to an end, and that

end is the happiness and eternal welfare of every child of God. I

therefore appeal to all members of the Church, and particularly

to presidents of quorums and to officers of all auxiliaries, to put

forth a unified effort to make sweeter the lives of men.13

There is in man not only an instinct, but also a divinity that

strives to push him onward and upward. The sense is universal,

and at some time in his life every man is conscious of possessing it.

Associated with this spiritual urge are three great needs that

remain unchanged throughout the centuries: (1) Every normal

person yearns to know something of God. What is he like? Is he

interested in the human family, or does he disregard it entirely?

(2) What is the best life to live in this world in order to be most

successful and to get the most happiness? (3) What is that

inevitable thing called death? What is beyond it?

If you want your answers to these longings of the human soul,

you must come to the Church to get it. Only true religion can sat-

isfy the yearning soul.14

Why do we hold these conference meetings and all other

meetings in the Church? They are held for the good of the indi-

vidual—for your son and my son, your daughter and mine. The

Lord has said, “. . . if it so be that you should labor all your days

in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one

soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the king-

dom of my Father!” [D&C 18:15.] . . .

The . . . purpose of the organization of this great Church, so

complete, so perfect, is to bless the individual.15

This Church was established in the only way in which the

Church of Christ can be established, by direct authority from

God. Thus founded it invites the whole world to come to a

C H A P T E R 3

26

Church recognized by God himself, and which offers every advan-

tage that the human mind, the emotions and desires may con-

template in the fulfilling of the individual mission on this earth.

“It is an ever-broadening wave of direct personal influence, des-

tined ultimately to touch and transform all men, so that they like

Jesus shall become Godlike.” “Mormonism,” as true Christianity,

“subdues selfishness, regulates the passions, subordinates the

appetites, quickens the intellect, exalts the affections. It promotes

industry, honesty, truth, purity, kindness. It humbles the proud,

exalts the lowly, upholds the law, favors liberty, is essential to it,

and would unite men in one great brotherhood.”16

As the Church fulfills its mission, it contributes to the welfare of humanity.

Many citizens are deeply troubled over the increase in crime,

the high divorce and illegitimacy rates, the increasing incidents

of venereal diseases, the scandals in high office, and other symp-

toms of private and public dishonesty.

Is there a moral breakdown? Is there cause for alarm? The

world is all about us, and the statistics we read about are fright-

ening indeed, and they are a necessary warning. . . .

The mission of the Church is to minimize and, if possible,

eliminate these evils from the world. It is evident that we are in

need of a unifying force to eliminate these evils. Such a uniting

force, such an ideal is the gospel of Jesus Christ, as restored

through the Prophet Joseph Smith. It explains man’s life and its

purpose and has within it the vital saving elements, noble ideals,

and spiritual uplift for which the heart of man is yearning.

Right-thinking, upright men and women everywhere are

desirous of eliminating from our communities evil elements that

are constantly disintegrating society—the liquor problem with

its drunkenness, the narcotic habit with all its attendant evils,

immorality, poverty, etc. The Church is seeking to make both

home and community environment better and brighter.17

Let us here and now express gratitude for the Church of

Jesus Christ with quorums and auxiliaries specially organized

to combat these evils. It was established by divine revelation of

C H A P T E R 3

27

God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Its glorious mission is

to proclaim the truth of the restored gospel; to uplift society that

people may mingle more amicably one with another; to create in

our communities a wholesome environment in which our chil-

dren may find strength to resist temptation and encouragement

to strive for cultural and spiritual attainment.18

The Church, established by divine inspiration to an unlearned

youth, offers to the world the solution of all its social problems.

It has stood the test of the first century successfully. In the midst

of brilliant concepts of men in this twentieth century, who seek

conscientiously for social reforms and who peer blindly into the

future to read the destiny of man, the Church shines forth as the

sun in the heavens, around which other luminaries revolve as

satellites of minor importance. Truly it is the creator and pre-

server of man’s highest values. Its real task, the redemption of

our human world. “It is the light of truth radiating everywhere in

the world, and this light cannot fail to reveal to man, sooner or

later, the divine ideals by which man should live.” 19

The Church, with its complete organization, offers service and

inspiration to all. . . . Instead of taking men out of the world, it

seeks to develop perfect, Godlike men in the midst of society,

and through them to solve the problems of society.20


• Based on President McKay’s teachings, how would you

describe the purpose of the Church? (See pages 22–23.) Why

do we hold Church meetings and conferences? (See pages

25–26.)

• How does the Church help prepare for the final establishment

of the kingdom of God? (See pages 23–27.) In what ways does

the Church resemble and exemplify the kingdom of God that is

yet to be established? (See pages 22–23.)

• What does the Church provide that will lead faithful members

to eternal life? (See pages 23–27.) How have you seen that the

organization of the Church, with its quorums and auxiliaries,

helps to perfect individuals? (See also Ephesians 4:11–13.)

C H A P T E R 3

28

• What are some of the problems facing society today? (See page

26.) In what ways can applying gospel principles help resolve

these problems? (See pages 26–27.)

• In what ways has membership in the Church blessed your life?

What can you and your family do to more fully benefit from

what the Church offers?

• What can we do to help the Church carry out its responsibili-

ties in these latter days?

Related Scriptures: Ephesians 2:19–22; 4:11–15; Moroni 6:4–9;

D&C 10:67–69; 65:1–6

Notes


2. Cherished Experiences from theWritings of President David O. McKay,comp. Clare Middlemiss, rev. ed.(1976), 15–16.

3. James B. Allen and Richard O. Cowan,“History of the Church: C. 1945–1990,Post–World War II International EraPeriod,” Encyclopedia of Mormonism,4 vols. (1992), 2:639.


















C H A P T E R 4

Elements of Worship

I pray we may have the strength so to live that we may merit divine guidance and inspiration;

that through worship, meditation, communion, and reverence we may sense the reality of being able

to have a close relationship with our Father in heaven. I bear you my testimony that it is real;

that we can commune with our Heavenly Father. 1

Introduction

Early in his life, David O. McKay experienced the peace that

comes through communion with God. “I remember lying [in

bed] one night,” he recalled, “trembling with fear. As a child I

was naturally, or unnaturally afraid of the darkness, and would

frequently lie wondering about burglars, ‘bug-a-boos,’ and

unseen influences. So I lay this night completely unnerved; but

I had been taught that God would answer prayer. Summoning

strength I arose from the bed, knelt down in the darkness, and

prayed to God to remove that feeling of fear; and I heard as

plainly as you hear my voice this afternoon, ‘Don’t be afraid;

nothing will hurt you.’ Oh, yes, some may say—‘simply the imag-

ination.’ Say what you will, I know that to my soul came the

sweet peace of a child’s prayer answered. That is the faith which

is inculcated into the minds of the [children] in every Latter-day

Saint home throughout the land. I submit that where children

are brought up in close communion with our Eternal Father that

there can not be much sin or much evil in that home.” 2

In addition to seeking “communion with the infinite” 3 when

he was alone, President McKay rejoiced in worshiping with other

29

C H A P T E R 4

30

Latter-day Saints. He told of a memorable experience he once

had at a Church meeting:

“One of the most impressive services I have ever attended was

in a group of over eight hundred people to whom the sacrament

was administered, and during that administration not a sound

could be heard excepting the ticking of the clock—eight hun-

dred souls, each of whom at least had the opportunity of com-

munion with the Lord. There was no distraction, no orchestra,

no singing, no speaking. Each one had an opportunity to search

himself introspectively and to consider his worthiness or unwor-

thiness to partake of the sacrament. His was the privilege of get-

ting closer to his Father in heaven. That is ideal!”4

President McKay encouraged all Latter-day Saints to pursue

this ideal in their worship services and in their personal lives. He

said, “To have communion with God, through his Holy Spirit, is

one of the noblest aspirations of life.” 5


Reverence is profound respect mingled with love.

Inseparable from the acceptance of the existence of God is an

attitude of reverence, to which I wish now to call attention most

earnestly to the entire Church. The greatest manifestation of

spirituality is reverence; indeed, reverence is spirituality.

Reverence is profound respect mingled with love. It is “a com-

plex emotion made up of mingled feelings of the soul.” [One

writer] says it is “the highest of human feelings.” I have said else-

where that if reverence is the highest, then irreverence is the

lowest state in which a man can live in the world. . . .

Reverence embraces regard, deference, honor, and esteem.

Without some degree of it, therefore, there would be no courtesy,

no gentility, no consideration of others’ feelings, or of others’

rights. Reverence is the fundamental virtue in religion. It is “one of

the signs of strength; irreverence, one of the surest indications of

weakness. No man will rise high,” says one man, “who jeers at

sacred things. The fine loyalties of life,” he continues, “must be rev-

erenced or they will be foresworn [or rejected] in the day of trial.”

C H A P T E R 4

Parents, Reverence, as charity, begins at home. In early child-

hood children should be trained to be respectful, deferential—

respectful to one another, to strangers and visitors—deferential

to the aged and infirm—reverential to things sacred, to parents

and parental love.

Three influences in home life awaken reverence in children

and contribute to its development in their souls. These are: first,

firm but Gentle Guidance; second, Courtesy shown by parents

to each other, and to children; and third, Prayer in which chil-

dren participate. In every home in this Church parents should

strive to act intelligently in impressing children with those three

fundamentals.6

Reverence directs thought toward God. Without it there is no

religion.7

I look upon reverence as one of the highest qualities of the

soul. An irreverent man is not a believing man. . . .

Reverence indicates high culture, and true faith in deity and in

his righteousness.8

I am prompted to place reverence next to love. Jesus men-

tioned it first in the Lord’s prayer: “Our Father which art in

heaven, hallowed be thy name. . . .” [Matthew 6:9.] Hallow—to

make holy—to hold in reverence.9

If there were more reverence in human hearts, there would be

less room for sin and sorrow and more increased capacity for joy

and gladness. To make more cherished, more adaptable, more

attractive, this gem among brilliant virtues is a project worthy of

the most united and prayerful efforts of every officer, every par-

ent, and every member of the Church.10

Meditation leads to spiritual communion with God through the Holy Spirit.

We pay too little attention to the value of meditation, a prin-

ciple of devotion. In our worship there are two elements: One is

spiritual communion arising from our own meditation; the other,

instruction from others, particularly from those who have author-

ity to guide and instruct us. Of the two, the more profitable intro-

spectively is the meditation. Meditation is the language of the

31

C H A P T E R 4

32

soul. It is defined as “a form of private devotion, or spiritual exer-

cise, consisting in deep, continued reflection on some religious

theme.” Meditation is a form of prayer. . . .

Meditation is one of the most secret, most sacred doors

through which we pass into the presence of the Lord. Jesus set

the example for us. As soon as he was baptized and received the

Father’s approval, “This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well

pleased,” [Matthew 3:17] Jesus [went] to what is now known as

the mount of temptation. I like to think of it as the mount of med-

itation where, during the forty days of fasting, he communed with

himself and his Father, and contemplated upon the responsibility

of his great mission. One result of this spiritual communion was

such strength as enabled him to say to the tempter:

“. . . Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship

the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matt. 4:10.)

Before he gave . . . the beautiful sermon on the mount, he was

in solitude, in communion. He did the same thing after that busy

Sabbath day, when he arose early in the morning, after having

been the guest of Peter. Peter undoubtedly found the guest

chamber empty, and when they sought [Jesus] they found him

alone. It was on that morning that Peter said:

“. . . All men seek for thee.” (Mark 1:37.)

Again, after Jesus had fed the five thousand he told the Twelve

to dismiss the multitude, but Jesus went to the mountain for

solitude. The historian says, “when the evening was come, he

was there alone.” (Matt. 14:23.) Meditation! Prayer! 11

Let us make God the center of our lives. . . . To have com-

munion with God, through his Holy Spirit, is one of the noblest

aspirations of life. It is when the peace and love of God have

entered the soul, when serving him becomes the motivating fac-

tor in one’s life and existence.12

We go to the Lord’s house to commune with Him in spirit.

We enter a chapel to worship the Lord. We want to partake of

his Spirit, and by partaking of his Spirit we build up our own

spiritual strength.13

C H A P T E R 4

33

Churches are dedicated and set apart as houses of worship.

This means, of course, that all who enter do so, or at least pretend

to do so, with an intent to get nearer the presence of the Lord than

they can in the street or amidst the worries of a workaday life. In

other words, we go to the Lord’s house to meet him and to com-

mune with him in spirit. Such a meeting place, then, should first

of all be fitting and appropriate in all respects, whether God is

considered as the invited guest, or the worshipers as his guests.

Whether the place of meeting is a humble chapel or a “poem

in architecture” built of white marble and inlaid with precious

stones makes little or no difference in our approach and attitude

toward the Infinite Presence. To know God is there should be

sufficient to impel us to conduct ourselves orderly, reverently.

In this regard, as members of the Church in our worshiping

assemblies, we have much room for improvement. Presiding

authorities in stake, ward, and quorum meetings, and especially

teachers in classes, should make special effort to maintain better

order and more reverence during hours of worship and of study.

Less talking behind the pulpit will have a salutary effect upon

those who face it. By example and precept, children should be

impressed with the inappropriateness of confusion and disorder

in a worshiping congregation. They should be impressed in child-

hood, and have it emphasized in youth, that it is disrespectful to

talk or even to whisper during a sermon, and that it is the height

of rudeness, except in an emergency, to leave a worshiping assem-

bly before dismissal.14

There are two purposes for which each chapel is constructed:

first, that it might be the place where all may be trained in the

ways of God, and second, that in it all might glorify our Father in

heaven, who asks for nothing more of his children than that they

might be men and women of such noble character as to come

back into his presence.15

When you enter a church building, you are coming into the

presence of our Father in heaven; and that thought should be

sufficient incentive for you to prepare your hearts, your minds,

and even your attire, that you might appropriately and properly

sit in his presence.16

C H A P T E R 4

34

Let us not make Sunday a holiday. It is a holy day, and on that

day we should go to the house of worship and seek our God. If

we seek him on the Sabbath day, get into his presence on that

day, we shall find it less difficult to be in his presence the fol-

lowing days of the week.17

The sacrament provides an opportunity to commune with the Lord.

The greatest comfort in this life is the assurance of having

close relationship with God. . . . The sacrament period should be

a factor in awakening this sense of relationship.

“. . . the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed

took bread:

“And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take eat:

this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance

of me.

“After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had

supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this

do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

“For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do

shew the Lord’s death till he come.

“Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup

of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of

the Lord.

“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that

bread and drink of that cup.” [1 Corinthians 11:23–28.]

No more sacred ordinance is administered in the Church of

Christ than the administration of the sacrament. . . .

There are three things fundamentally important associated

with the administration of the sacrament. The first is self-dis-

cernment. It is introspection. “This do in remembrance of me,”

but we should partake worthily, each one examining himself

with respect to his worthiness.

Secondly, there is a covenant made; a covenant even more

than a promise. . . . There is nothing more important in life than

that. . . . A covenant, a promise, should be as sacred as life. That

C H A P T E R 4

35

principle is involved every Sunday when we partake of the

sacrament.

Thirdly, there is another blessing, and that is a sense of close

relationship with the Lord. There is an opportunity to commune

with oneself and to commune with the Lord. We meet in the

house that is dedicated to him; we have turned it over to him;

we call it his house. Well, you may rest assured that he will be

there to inspire us if we come in proper attune to meet him. We

are not prepared to meet him if we bring into that room our

thoughts regarding our business affairs, and especially if we

bring into the house of worship feelings of hatred toward our

neighbor, or enmity and jealousy towards the Authorities of the

Church. Most certainly no individual can hope to come into

communion with the Father if that individual entertain any such

feelings. They are so foreign to worship, and so foreign, particu-

larly, to the partaking of the sacrament. . . .

I believe the short period of administering the sacrament is

one of the best opportunities we have for . . . meditation, and

“I believe the short period of administering the sacrament is one

of the best opportunities we have for . . . meditation.”

35

C H A P T E R 4

36

there should be nothing during that sacred period to distract our

attention from the purpose of that ordinance. . . .

. . . We [must] surround this sacred ordinance with more rev-

erence, with perfect order, that each one who comes to the

house of God may meditate upon his goodness and silently and

prayerfully express appreciation for God’s goodness. Let the

sacrament hour be one experience of the day in which the wor-

shiper tries at least to realize within himself that it is possible for

him to commune with his God.

Great events have happened in this Church because of such

communion, because of the responsiveness of the soul to the

inspiration of the Almighty. I know it is real. President Wilford

Woodruff had that gift to a great extent. He could respond; he

knew the “still small voice” to which some are still strangers. You

will find that when these most inspirational moments come to

you that you are alone with yourself and your God. They come

to you probably when you are facing a great trial, when the wall

is across your pathway, and it seems that you are facing an

insurmountable obstacle, or when your heart is heavy because of

some tragedy in your life. I repeat, the greatest comfort that can

come to us in this life is to sense the realization of communion

with God. Great testimonies have come in those moments. . . .

. . . When you stop to consider the matter, you realize that

there is nothing during the administration of the sacrament of an

extraneous nature so important as remembering our Lord and

Savior, nothing so worthy of attention as considering the value

of the promise we are making. Why should anything distract us?

Is there anything more sublime? We are witnessing there, in the

presence of one another, and before him, our Father, that we are

willing to take upon ourselves the name of Christ, that we will

always remember him, always, that we will keep his command-

ments that he has given us. Can you, can anybody living, who

thinks for a moment, place before us anything which is more

sacred or more far-reaching in our lives? If we partake of it

mechanically, we are not honest, or let us say, we are permitting

our thoughts to be distracted from a very sacred ordinance. . . .

. . . Let us make that sacrament hour one of the most impres-

sive means of coming in contact with God’s spirit. Let the Holy

C H A P T E R 4

37

Ghost, to which we are entitled, lead us into his presence, and

may we sense that nearness, and have a prayer offered in our

hearts which he will hear.18


• What does it mean to have “an attitude of reverence”? (See pages

30–31.) In what ways is reverence more than just being quiet?

How can we develop this “profound respect mingled with love”?

• How can we teach the principle of reverence in our homes

and at church? (See pages 31, 33.)

• Why is it sometimes difficult to find time to meditate upon the

things of God? What can we do to make time for meditation?

What blessings can we receive as a result of our meditation?

(See pages 31–32, 35–36.)

• What can we do to prepare ourselves to “go to the Lord’s

house . . . [and] commune with him in spirit”? (See pages

32–36.) How can we prepare ourselves to partake of the sacra-

ment? (See pages 32–36.)

• In what ways can we help our children and others be more

reverent in the temple, during sacrament meeting, and in

other Church meetings? (See pages 31, 33.) How does coming

to a meeting late or leaving early disrupt reverence?

• What is the significance of the sacrament in your life?

Related Scriptures: Psalm 89:5–7; D&C 20:75–79; 63:64;

76:19–24; 109:21; 138:1–11

Notes













13. “Reverence,” Improvement Era, July1962, 508.


15. “Our Places of Worship,” ImprovementEra, Sept. 1969, 2.

16. “Reverence,” Improvement Era, July1962, 509.


18. In Conference Report, Apr. 1946,111–12, 114–16; paragraphing altered.

38

President McKay with his counselors, President Stephen L Richards (left) and

President J. Reuben Clark Jr. (right). President McKay said he wished Church

members could have “glimpsed the unity of the First Presidency.”

C H A P T E R 5

The Blessings of Unity

Unity and its synonyms—harmony, goodwill, peace, concord, mutual understanding—express a condition

for which the human heart constantly yearns.1

Introduction

From October 1934 to April 1951, Presidents J. Reuben Clark Jr.

and David O. McKay served together as counselors in the First

Presidency, first to President Heber J. Grant and then to

President George Albert Smith. Throughout this time, President

Clark served as first counselor and President McKay served as

second counselor.

On 9 April 1951, five days after President Smith’s death, Latter-

day Saints met for general conference and sustained President

David O. McKay as President of the Church. There they learned

that President Clark, who had served faithfully as first counselor

for almost 17 years, had been called to serve as second counselor.

President Stephen L Richards had been called as first counselor.

Sensing that Church members would question this change,

President McKay took time in general conference to explain the

calling of his two counselors. He said that President Richards

had been called as first counselor because he had served longer

than President Clark in the apostleship. Emphasizing that this

practice was not an “established policy,” President McKay simply

said that “it seemed advisable” in the callings of Presidents

Richards and Clark.

As President McKay continued with his address, he spoke of

the unity he felt with his counselors: “We do not want any mem-

ber in this Church, nor any man or woman listening in to harbor

the thought for a moment that there has been any rift between

the two counselors who sustained President Smith in the

39

C H A P T E R 5

40

Quorum of the First Presidency, and President Grant for the

years that we were together with that inspired leader. Neither

should you feel that there is any demotion. President Clark is a

wonderful servant. . . .

“You should understand further, that in the counselorship of

the Quorum of the First Presidency these two men are coordi-

nate in authority, in love, and confidence, in freedom to make

suggestions, and recommendations, and in their responsibility

not only to the Quorum but also to the Lord Jesus Christ and to

the people generally.

“They are two great men. I love them both, and say God bless

them, and give you the assurance that there will be harmony and

love and confidence in the Quorum of the First Presidency as

you have sustained them today.” 2

Shortly after President McKay made this statement, President

Clark spoke to the Saints, expressing his desire to work harmo-

niously with his fellow servants: “In the service of the Lord, it is

not where you serve but how. In the Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints, one takes the place to which one is duly called,

which place one neither seeks nor declines. I pledge to President

McKay and to President Richards the full loyal devoted service to

the tasks that may come to me to the full measure of my strength

and my abilities, and so far as they will enable me to perform

them, however inadequate I may be.”3

In a general conference three years later, President McKay

again spoke of the unity he enjoyed with other Church leaders:

“I wish that all within the sound of my voice at this moment, all

who have any prejudice in their hearts, might have glimpsed the

General Authorities in the House of the Lord last Thursday

morning, when they met in fasting and prayer to prepare them-

selves spiritually for the responsibilities awaiting them in this

great conference. You would have glimpsed the unity of the First

Presidency and through this transmission of heart to heart, soul

to soul, you would have known the love I bear for [my] two

counselors, for their clear vision and sound judgment and their

patience with their leader when necessary. You would have

glimpsed the unity and love of these twelve men [the Quorum

C H A P T E R 5

41

of the Twelve Apostles], of . . . the Seventy, . . . and the Presiding

Bishopric. We pray that the love and unity in that meeting may

extend to every stake presidency, mission presidency, every bish-

opric, every priesthood quorum and auxiliary throughout the

Church. With such unity and love there is no power on earth

which can stop the progress of this, the work of God.” 4


The Lord desires unity among His followers.

“Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou

hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall

believe on me through their word;

“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in

thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe

that thou hast sent me.” ( John 17:11, 20–21.)

Thus in one of the most sublime prayers ever offered among

men, Jesus makes unity pre-eminent among his followers.

Unity and its synonyms—harmony, goodwill, peace, concord,

mutual understanding—express a condition for which the

human heart constantly yearns. Its opposites are discord, con-

tention, strife, confusion. . . .

May the appeal of our Lord in his intercessory prayer for unity

be realized in our homes, our wards and stakes, and in our sup-

port of the basic principles of freedom.5

Unity of purpose, with all working in harmony, is needed to

accomplish God’s work. In a revelation given to the Prophet

Joseph Smith about one year after the Church was organized,

the Lord in a broad sense makes known why his great work, to

be accomplished, has been restored for the benefit of mankind

and to prepare the way for his second coming. Said he:

“And even so I have sent mine everlasting covenant into the

world, to be a light to the world, and to be a standard for my

people, and for the Gentiles to seek to it, and to be a messenger

before my face to prepare the way before me.” (D&C 45:9.)

C H A P T E R 5

42

Herein we learn of the great obligations placed upon this

people to assist the Lord in bringing these things to pass among

men. It requires unity and dedication to its purposes.

Concerning this need, the Lord has given this warning:

“. . . Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to deso-

lation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not

stand.” (Matt. 12:25.)6

We must avoid attitudes and actions that lead to disunity.

One of the first conditions that will bring about disunity will be

selfishness; another will be envy: “Brother So-and-so passed me

by and said nothing to me about the matter.” “The bishopric

chose Sister So-and-so to be organist, and she can’t play half as

well as I.” “I’m not going to priesthood meeting any more

because the bishopric appointed a certain man to act as adviser

of the priests.” “The Sunday School chose So-and-so as a teacher.”

. . . “The presidency of the stake has never recognized me, and I

feel offended.” “The General Authorities do not always see eye to

eye.” Oh! a hundred and one little things like that may come up—

little things, insignificant in themselves when we compare them

with the greater and more real things of life. And yet, I know from

experience that the adversary can so magnify them that they

become mountains in our lives, and we are offended, and our

spirituality starves because we entertain those feelings.

There is another element—fault-finding—associated with that

spirit of envy. We find fault with a neighbor. We speak ill of each

other. When that feeling comes, it is a good thing just to sing that

simple little [Church] hymn, “Nay, Speak No Ill.”

“Nay, speak no ill; a kindly word

Can never leave a sting behind;

And, oh, to breathe each tale we’ve heard

Is far beneath a noble mind.

Full oft a better seed is sown

By choosing thus the kinder plan,

For, if but little good is known,

Still let us speak the best we can.

C H A P T E R 5

43

“Then speak no ill, but lenient be

To other’s failings as your own.

If you’re the first a fault to see,

Be not the first to make it known,

For life is but a passing day;

No lip may tell how brief its span;

Then, O the little time we stay,

Let’s speak of all the best we can.”

[Hymns, no. 233.]7

May we go forth with greater resolution to defend one

another in righteous living, to defend the Church, not to speak

against our neighbors, nor against authorities of the Church,

local, stake, or general. Let us avoid evil speaking; let us avoid

slander and gossip. These are poisons to the soul to those who

indulge. Evil speaking injures the reviler more than the reviled.8

There are destructive termites of homes, as well as of houses,

and some of these are backbiting, evil-speaking, faultfinding on

the part either of parents or of children. Slander is poison to the

soul. “Slanderers are like flies that pass all over a man’s good

parts to light only on his sores.” In the ideal home, there is no

slanderous gossip about . . . schoolteachers, about public offi-

cials, or Church officials. I am more grateful now, as years have

come and gone, to my father, who with hands lifted said, “Now,

no faultfinding about your teacher or anybody else.” 9

Family unity makes the home a place of refuge and protection.

A child has the right to feel that in his home he has a place of

refuge, a place of protection from the dangers and evils of the

outside world. Family unity and integrity are necessary to supply

this need.10

I can imagine few, if any, things more objectionable in the

home than the absence of unity and harmony. On the other

hand, I know that a home in which unity, mutual helpfulness,

and love abide is just a bit of heaven on earth. I surmise that

nearly all of you can testify to the sweetness of life in a home in

C H A P T E R 5

44

which these virtues predominate. Most gratefully and humbly I

cherish the remembrance that never once as a lad in the home

of my youth did I ever see one instance of discord between

father and mother, and that goodwill and mutual understanding

has been the uniting bond that has held together a fortunate

group of brothers and sisters. Unity, harmony, goodwill are

virtues to be fostered and cherished in every home.11

Very frequently discords arise in the home because husbands

desire to save their own dignity and have their own way, have

their own wishes carried out. Wives desire the same. Some exer-

cise their prerogative to have the last word. Husbands are some-

times even more eager to have it than wives. Each really is trying

to save himself or herself, and instead of having harmony and

peace in the home there arises discord. Instead of saving the life

of harmony in the home, you lose it, merely because you are

seeking to save your own selfish life, or have your own selfish

way. Better to lose that desire. Say nothing, and in losing your

desire and that feeling of enmity, of ruling, of governing, you say

nothing, and you gain your life in the home.12

May God bless you all, and may he guide and help you that

righteousness, harmony, and love for one another may dwell in

each home.13

Unity in the Church leads to progress and spirituality.

The mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

is to establish peace. The Living Christ is its head. Under him

tens of thousands of men in the Church are divinely authorized

to represent him in variously assigned positions. It is the duty of

these representatives to manifest brotherly love, first toward one

another, then toward all mankind; to seek unity, harmony, and

peace in organizations within the Church, and then by precept

and example extend these virtues throughout the world.14

In branches and wards of the Church, there is no virtue more

conducive to progress and spirituality than the presence of this

principle. When jealousy, backbiting, [and] evil-speaking sup-

plant mutual confidence, unity, and harmony, the progress of the

organization is stifled. . . .

C H A P T E R 5

45

Inner weakness is more dangerous and more fatal than out-

ward opposition. The Church is little if at all injured by perse-

cution and calumnies [or false charges] from ignorant,

misinformed, or malicious enemies; a greater hindrance to its

progress comes from faultfinders, shirkers, commandment-

breakers, and apostate cliques within.15

It is the principle of unity that has enabled the wards, stakes,

branches, and missions of the Church to progress and to accom-

plish the purposes for which the Church was established. It

could not have been done by dissension and hatred. There have

been difficulties. Each member of the Church has his own ideas.

Sometimes they are not the same as those of the bishopric, and

not the same as those of the presidency of the stake, and not the

same as the Presidency of the Church; but each has had to sub-

merge his own ideas to the good of the whole, and in that united

purpose we have achieved something that is wonderful.

As I think of the future of this Church and of the welfare of

the young men and women, as well as of the mothers and

fathers, I feel impressed that there is no more important mes-

sage to give than “to be one,” and avoid things that may cause

a rift among members. I know that the adversary has no

stronger weapon against any group of men or women in this

Church than the weapon of thrusting in a wedge of disunity,

doubt, and enmity. . . .

The challenge is before us; we cannot fail in the divine com-

mitments given to us as a people. Unity of purpose, with all

working in harmony within the structure of Church organization

as revealed by the Lord, is to be our objective. Let each member,

teacher, and leader feel the importance of the position that each

one holds. All are important to the successful accomplishment of

God’s work, which is our work.16

The greatest safeguard we have for unity and strength in the

Church is found in the priesthood, by honoring and respecting

it. Oh, my brethren—presidents of stakes, bishops of wards, and

all who hold the priesthood—God bless you in your leadership,

in your responsibility to guide, to bless, to comfort the people

whom you have been appointed to preside over and to visit.

C H A P T E R 5

46

Guide them to go to the Lord and seek inspiration so to live that

they may rise above the low and the mean, and live in the spiri-

tual realm.

Recognize those who preside over you and, when necessary,

seek their advice.17

May the [organizations in] the Church be blessed with the

spirit of unity and harmony. May there be banished from their

hearts the spirit of enmity, backbiting, and evil speaking, and

may they keep in their hearts the truth expressed by Jesus when

he said, “. . . if ye are not one ye are not mine.” (D&C 38:27.)18

Let that spirit of unity and oneness for which our Lord and

Savior prayed on the night of his betrayal, be characteristic of

this his Church: Father, keep them one, as thou and I are one

[see John 17:11].19

Commitment to gospel ideals is the surest way to unity.

A leading writer . . . [has expressed]: “The world has many

good people in it today, more who are ready to believe than ever

before, but these people possess no unifying ideals, no organic

principles, no coherent view of life, no synthetic program of

action. Society is coming to self-consciousness, and is beginning

to take note of its troubles and needs, but it has no clear sense

of direction, no organizing impulse, no all-inclusive ideals, no

mighty impulsion. . . . Is there anything by which our nature can

gain its unity; our race acknowledge its brotherhood, our

humanity order its affairs as a whole?”

We answer, yes—such a uniting force, such an ideal is the

Gospel of Jesus Christ as restored through the Prophet Joseph

Smith. It explains man’s life and its purpose, and has within it

the vital saving elements, noble ideals, and spiritual uplift for

which the heart of man today is yearning.20

“Good tidings of great joy” [Luke 2:10]—The Gospel of Jesus

Christ is that good tidings. The term “Gospel” means, literally,

“good news,” and such is the news that emanates from above.

. . . There have always been, in every dispensation, opportuni-

C H A P T E R 5

47

ties for men to receive that good news, and these prophets who

were in tune with the Infinite and who heard first and directly

that good news, have had imposed upon them the responsibility

to convey that good news to others of their fellow-men, that they

who are concerned with the things of the world might receive

the glad message and be brought back into the environment of

peace, harmony, and good will.21

Whether in the islands of the sea, in Japan, in Syria, in the

Scandinavian countries, in England, Germany, France, Holland—

wherever one meets a group of Latter-day Saints whose faith in

the gospel of Jesus Christ is unwavering, there one finds the

spirit of oneness, the spirit of love, the spirit of willing sacrifice

for the good of humanity. God bless the Latter-day Saints all over

the world that they may continue in that same spirit.22


• How are God the Father and Jesus Christ one? What are some

specific ways in which we can be united as a Church? as fami-

lies? as members of the community? (See pages 44–46.) What

benefits can come through such unity?

• What are some attitudes and actions that bring disharmony

into our homes and wards? (See pages 42–46.) What can we

do to increase harmony and unity? How can we apply

President Clark’s statement (“In the service of the Lord, it is

not where you serve but how”) as we strive to increase unity

in our homes and wards?

• How might children be influenced when their parents speak

unkindly of leaders and teachers? Why does evil speaking

injure “the reviler more than the reviled”? (See page 43.)

• In what ways can the gospel fulfill people’s yearning for unity

and harmony? (See pages 46–47.) Why is unity required to

bring to pass the Lord’s eternal purposes on earth?

Related Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 1:9–10; Mosiah 18:21; 3 Nephi

11:29–30; 4 Nephi 1:2, 15–17; D&C 38:23–27; 105:3–5; Moses 7:18

C H A P T E R 5

48


2. See Conference Report, Apr. 1951,150–51.



5. “Unity in the Home—the Church—the Nation,” Improvement Era, Feb.1954, 77–78.










15. “Unity in the Home—the Church—the Nation,” Improvement Era, Feb.1954, 77.





20. In Conference Report, Apr. 1941, 108;paragraphing altered.



Notes

C H A P T E R 6

“Every Member a Missionary”

The world is hungry to hear the truth. . . . We have it. Are we equal to the task—to the

responsibility God has placed upon us?1

Introduction

Both of President David O. McKay’s parents were converts to

the Church, the result of proselyting efforts by missionaries

called to labor in Great Britain. The family of his father, David

McKay, joined the Church in Scotland in 1850 as some of the first

converts to the Church in the area. The family of his mother,

Jennette Evans, joined the Church in Wales at about that same

time in spite of strong opposition from close relatives.

From the righteous heritage given to him by his parents,

President McKay had a great testimony of the importance and far-

reaching effects of missionary work. In 1953, on a tour of Europe,

President McKay visited the humble Scotland home of his father’s

childhood. President McKay’s son Llewelyn, who accompanied

him on the trip, recorded the experience as follows:

“[As we approached the home], the sun broke through the

clouds and smiled at us as though he were reflecting the joy and

happiness in father’s heart. As we all gathered in front of the

home, tears came to father’s eyes as he looked through the door.

‘If it had not been for two missionaries knocking on this door

about 1850, I shouldn’t be here today!’ ” 2


Church members have been commissioned to do missionary work.

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the

name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

49

C H A P T E R 6

50

The responsibility to share the gospel rests upon each member of the Church.

C H A P T E R 6

51

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have com-

manded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of

the world. . . .” (Matt. 28:19–20.)

Such was the admonition given to the early twelve. Such is the

admonition given to people in this age in the Doctrine and

Covenants to be a light unto the world. “And even so I have sent

mine everlasting covenant into the world, to be a light to the

world, and to be a standard for my people, for the Gentiles to

seek to it, and to be a messenger before my face to prepare the

way before me.” [See D&C 45:9.]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was scarcely

one year old when that declaration was given by inspiration to

the Prophet Joseph Smith. He himself was in his twenty-sixth

year. It is marvelous to make such a declaration, great in its

potential, comprehensive in its scope. . . .

. . . Mormonism, so-called, has reared an ensign to the nations

and, with words as comprehensive as those I have read in the

revelation, invites the world to peace, to rest, to contentment.3

The text . . . “go ye unto all the world” is really the missionary

injunction given by the risen Christ to his Apostles. In effect

he says:

Consider this work unfinished until all nations shall have

accepted the gospel and shall have enlisted themselves as my

disciples. . . .

With the same direct commission from the risen Lord who

with the Father appeared in person in the beginning of the nine-

teenth century, the proclamation of the gospel is being made by

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to “every nation,

kindred, tongue and people” as fast as means and personnel can

carry it forward.4

Every Latter-day Saint should be involved in missionary work.

If I were to couch in definite terms two of the most potent con-

victions in the hearts of the Latter-day Saints, I would name: First,

an abiding assurance that the gospel, as taught by the Redeemer

when he lived among men and which was later modified,

C H A P T E R 6

52

changed and corrupted by men, has been restored by the

Redeemer in its purity and fulness; and second, following natu-

rally the first, a conviction in the heart of every member of this

Church that the responsibility rests upon the membership of the

Church to preach the restored gospel to every nation, kindred,

tongue and people.5

I am reminded that when Christ was on the earth, He said to

some men who also knew of His divinity, that there was an obli-

gation upon all such who possessed the knowledge of the exis-

tence of God and of the truths of the gospel of Christ. “He that

knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be

beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of

him shall be much required; and to whom men have committed

much, of him they will ask the more.” [Luke 12:48.] So with this

knowledge that the Latter-day Saints possess there comes a

mighty obligation. God’s people are spoken of in scripture,

ancient and modern, as a chosen people, as a royal priesthood, a

peculiar people, as a light set upon a hill. “Ye are the light of the

world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men

light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick;

and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so

shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify

your father which is in heaven.” [See Matthew 5:14–16.]6

What a responsibility . . . of leading good men and good

women all over this world to know God, and to know what their

mission is on earth! Fathers and mothers, fellow workers, do you

fully realize today what it means to assume the responsibility of

carrying the message of peace and good will to all men? 7

The world is hungry to hear the truth as never before in its his-

tory. We have it. Are we equal to the task—to the responsibility

God has placed upon us?8

Every member of the Church should be converted and have a

knowledge of the gospel, including a knowledge of the scrip-

tures. How wonderful it would be if every member of the Church

could, as Peter of old, “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and

be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a

reason of the hope that is in you. . . .” (1 Pet. 3:15.) . . .

C H A P T E R 6

53

The responsibility of the Church is to preach the gospel of

Jesus Christ as restored to the Prophet Joseph Smith, not only to

preach it and proclaim it by word, by distribution of literature,

but more than anything else by living the gospel in our homes

and in our business dealings, having faith and testimony in our

hearts, and radiating it wherever we go. . . . There is nothing that

can stop the progress of truth excepting only our weaknesses or

failure to do our duty.9

Every member is a missionary. He or she has the responsibility of

bringing somebody: a mother, a father, a neighbor, a fellow worker,

an associate, somebody in touch with the messengers of the

gospel. If every member will carry that responsibility and if the

arrangement to have that mother or that father or somebody meet

the authorized representatives of the Church, no power on earth

can stop this church from growing. And personal contact is what

will influence those investigators. That personal contact, the nature

of it, its effect depends upon you. And that’s one thing that I wish

to emphasize. There’s one responsibility which no man can evade,

that’s the responsibility of personal influence. . . . It’s what you are,

not what you pretend to be that will bring people to investigate.10

Every member of the Church should be a missionary. He is

probably not authorized to go from house to house, but he is

authorized, by virtue of his membership, to set a proper

example as a good neighbor. Neighbors are watching him.

Neighbors are watching his children. He is a light, and it is his

duty not to have that light hidden under a bushel, but it should

be set up on a hill that all men may be guided thereby. . . .

. . . If you will live in accordance with those humble principles

under the covenants you made at the water’s edge, and since

that time in Sacrament meetings, and many of you in the House

of God, you will fill a noble mission, and God will reward you.

May every member of the Church experience this transforma-

tion in this life, and so live that others, seeing his good deeds,

may be led to glorify our Father in heaven.11

The Gospel is our anchor. We know what it stands for. If we live

it, feel it, and speak well of the Gospel, of the Priesthood, of the

authorities in it, speak well even of our enemies, we shall feel

C H A P T E R 6

54

happier ourselves, and we shall be preaching the Gospel of Jesus

Christ. Everybody can do this. It is possible. God has not asked us

to do it and then deprived us of the power of performing it.12

Full-time missionaries must be worthy to serve.

In Section 4 of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Prophet

Joseph Smith received a revelation that “behold, a marvelous

work is about to come forth among the children of men.

“Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye

serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye

may stand blameless before God at the last day.” (D&C 4:1–2.) . . .

[A] significant feature of this revelation, and of others given

about the same period, is the naming of essential qualifications

of those who were to participate in the bringing about of this

marvelous work. These qualifications were not the possession of

wealth, not social distinction, not political preferment, not mil-

itary achievement, not nobility of birth; but a desire to serve

God with all your “heart, might, mind and strength”—spiritual

qualities that contribute to nobility of soul. I repeat: No popu-

larity, no wealth, no theological training in church govern-

ment—yet “a marvelous work [was] about to come forth among

the children of men.”13

There are certain standards by which [bishops and stake pres-

idents] should be guided in calling our missionaries. First, call

no [missionary] for the purpose of saving him or her. The young

man is getting wayward and you think a mission would do him

good. It would. But that is not why you are sending him out.

Choose [missionaries] who are worthy to represent the Church,

see that they are sufficiently mature, and, above all, that they

have character.14

It is well for us to have in mind not so much the benefit to

those representatives as their preparation and fitness to carry on

the responsibilities entailed in a missionary call. In choosing a

missionary it is well to keep in mind questions as follows:

Is he worthy to represent the Church?

Has he sufficient will power to resist temptation?

C H A P T E R 6

President McKay instructed bishops and stake presidents to “choose

[missionaries] who are worthy to represent the Church.”

Has he kept himself clean while he has been home and by that

standard proved himself capable of resisting possible temptation

in the field?

Has he taken active part in Church organizations at home?

Does he at least glimpse what the Church has to offer the world?

Has he glimpsed that the Church is the greatest thing in the

world, and the only authorized group to represent the Lord

Jesus Christ in the salvation of mankind? . . .

Has he, through prayer, or experience, felt God’s nearness to

him, so that he can approach the Lord as he would his earthly

father?15

55

C H A P T E R 6

56

Every elder therefore who goes abroad to preach this gospel

must first live the gospel to the best of his ability, and have a con-

viction in his heart that he is preaching the truth. True, at first

this testimony may be somewhat indefinite; but all our children

have it to some extent. . . . Through study, service, humility and

prayer, this testimony will increase.

Another qualification is this: Every elder should be a Christian

gentleman always. A gentleman—who is he? “Whoever is open”—

nothing to hide, no downcast look because of the consciousness

of guilt; “whoever is loyal”—loyal to the truth, to virtue, to the

Word of Wisdom—“true, of humane and affable demeanor, hon-

orable himself and in his judgment of others, faithful to his word

as to law, and faithful alike to God and to man—such a man is a

true gentleman,” and such a man the elder of this Church should

be who goes out to Christianize the world.16

Every deacon, teacher, and priest, every elder in the Church

understands that to be worthy to be a representative of the

Church of Christ, he must be temperate in his habits and morally

clean. He is taught that there is no double standard of chastity,

that every young man, as well as every young woman, is to keep

himself free from sexual impurity. . . .

These young men are instructed that they go out as repre-

sentatives of the Church, and that a representative of any

organization—economic or religious—must possess at least

one outstanding quality, and that is: trustworthiness. He was

right who said, “To be trusted is a greater compliment than to

be loved.” And whom do these missionaries represent? First,

they represent their parents, carrying the responsibility of

keeping their good name unsullied. Second, they represent

the Church, specifically the ward in which they live. And third,

they represent the Lord Jesus Christ, whose authorized ser-

vants they are.

These ambassadors, for such they are, represent these three

groups and carry in that representation one of the greatest

responsibilities of their lives.17

C H A P T E R 6

57

Many blessings result from missionary service.

If you will have your testimonies strengthened, to have it

revealed to you now individually that Christ is aiding you in your

work, guiding his Church, well the best way to do that is . . .

doing your duty, . . . attending to missionary work.18

To render service . . . in the mission field is a blessing to any-

one. It is recognized as such by thousands of parents throughout

the Church who appreciate the value of such labor to their sons

and daughters, in whom this experience awakens an apprecia-

tion of home and of the gospel. Parents know also that mission-

ary activity brings into the plane of consciousness a knowledge

of the truth of the gospel, which the young men have perhaps

felt but not expressed.19

Many of us fail to realize the value and potent possibilities of

this great branch of Church activity [missionary work].

1—As an example of voluntary service in the cause of the

Master, it is unexcelled.

2—As an incentive to clean living among youth, as a contribut-

ing factor to character building, its influence is immeasurable.

3—As an educative force and uplifting influence upon our

communities, its effect is clearly manifest.

4—As a contributing factor to a better understanding among

nations, and to the establishing of international friendship, it

wields a significant influence.

5—As it is the purpose of the Almighty to save the individual,

. . . the missionary service works most harmoniously in the con-

summation of this eternal plan!

“Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; . . .

“And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying

repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto

me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my

Father!

“And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have

brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will

C H A P T E R 6

58

be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!” (D&C

18:10, 15–16.)20

Men’s hearts must be changed. Christ came into the world for

that very purpose. The principal reason for preaching the gospel

is to change men’s hearts and lives, and you brethren who go from

stake to stake and hear the evidence and testimony of those who

have been converted . . . can testify how the conversion has

changed their lives, as they have given their testimonies. By such

conversion they bring peace and good will to the world instead of

strife [and] suffering.21

Our missionaries . . . are now declaring to a troubled world

that the message heralded at the birth of Jesus—“peace on earth,

good will toward men” [see Luke 2:14]—may become a reality

here and now by obedience to the principles of the gospel.22


• President McKay often expressed gratitude for the efforts of

the missionaries who taught his parents. How have you or

someone you know been blessed by missionary work?

• Where does the responsibility for missionary work rest today?

(See pages 49–54.) What opportunities do we have to follow

President McKay’s instruction that every member should be a

missionary? How can we prepare ourselves to fulfill this

responsibility?

• What resources has the Church provided to help us share the

gospel? In what ways have we been instructed to assist full-

time and ward missionaries in our area?

• What qualifications are required for full-time missionary serv-

ice? (See pages 54–56.) Why are worthiness and trustworthi-

ness essential to missionary service?

• What can young people do to prepare themselves to serve

missions? What can adults do to help youth prepare to serve

missions?

• How can individuals with physical or mental limitations

advance the cause of missionary work? What alternative means

of Church service are available to them?

C H A P T E R 6

59

• In what ways can older couples be a significant resource in the

mission field?

Related Scriptures: 3 Nephi 12:14–16; D&C 4:1–7; 18:15–18;

75:2–5; 88:81; 90:11

Notes


2. Llewelyn R. McKay, Home Memoriesof President David O. McKay (1956),15; paragraphing altered.

3. “Every Member a Missionary,”Improvement Era, Oct. 1961, 710–11.







10. “Talk by President David O. McKayGiven to the North British Mission 1 March 1961,” Family and ChurchHistory Department Archives, TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints, 2–3.













60

“The literal resurrection from the grave was a reality to the disciples

who knew Christ intimately. . . . They were witnesses of the fact.”

C H A P T E R 7

The Significance of theResurrection

As Christ lives after death, so shall all men, each taking that place in the next

world for which he is best fitted.1

Introduction

In 1912, Elder David O. McKay, then a member of the Twelve,

and his wife, Emma Ray, experienced their first great sorrow in

parenthood when their two-and-a-half-year-old son, Royle, passed

away. Elder McKay’s account of the event shows the heartache he

felt but also demonstrates his faith in a future resurrection:

“Mon., 8 April 1912. O what a night of suffering for our dar-

ling boy! Every breath he drew seemed agony to him! The doc-

tors examined him this morning, and discovered that his pain

was due to pleurisy [inflammation of the lung] on both sides. At

this we almost lost hope; but later when [the doctor] told us that

by an examination he knew what germ had caused the infection

and that he had the anti-toxin, we again took courage.

“But Royle was too weak and the complications of diseases too

many. He battled bravely all day, taking the little stimulant given

him at intervals as willingly as a grown person would. At 9:30 P.M.,

Papa, Thomas E. [McKay] and I again administered to him. Ray felt

very hopeful, and lay down on the cot beside him for a little rest.

Soon his little pulse weakened, and we knew that our baby would

soon leave us. ‘Mama’ was the last word on his precious lips. Just

before the end came, he stretched out his little hands, and as I

stooped to caress him, he encircled my neck, and gave me the last

of many of the most loving caresses ever a father received from a

darling child. It seemed he realized that he was going, and wanted

to say, ‘Goodbye, Papa,’ but his little voice was already stilled by

6161

C H A P T E R 7

62

weakness and pain. I am sure he recognized his Mama a moment

later. She had rested only a few minutes; and noticing that the

nurses were somewhat agitated, she was bending over her darling

baby in a second and did not leave him until we gently led her

from the room from which Death had taken our baby boy.

“The end came at 1:50 A.M., without even a twitch of a muscle.

‘He is not dead but sleepeth’ was never more applicable to any

soul, for he truly went to sleep. He did not die.” 2


Jesus’ Apostles became witnesses of the reality of His Resurrection.

About two thousand years ago . . . there were some pretty

gloomy apostles. Peter was heavy-hearted; John was grieving; as

was Mary, Christ’s Mother. The other apostles had fled. Judas had

realized what a crime he had committed. What a gloomy night!

Next morning Christ arose. . . . That being true, this event

establishes the immortality of the soul, the existence of loved

ones who are on the other side, their personality persisting.

They are as real in that spiritual realm as Christ’s spirit when He

preached to the spirits in prison.3

Nearness to the event [of Jesus’ Resurrection] gives increased

value to the evidence given by the Apostles. A deeper value of

their testimony lies in the fact that with Jesus’ death the Apostles

were stricken with discouragement and gloom. For two and a

half years they had been upheld and inspired by Christ’s pres-

ence. But now he was gone. They were left alone, and they

seemed confused and helpless. . . .

“What was it that suddenly changed these disciples to confi-

dent, fearless, heroic preachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? It

was the revelation that Christ had risen from the grave. His

promises had been kept, his Messianic mission fulfilled.” . . .

Mark does not himself recount any appearance of the risen

Lord; but he testifies that the angel at the tomb announced the

resurrection, and promised that the Lord would meet his

disciples. From Mark we hear the glorious proclamation of the

C H A P T E R 7

63

first empty tomb in all the world. For the first time in the history

of man the words “Here lies” were supplanted by the divine mes-

sage “He is risen.” No one can doubt that Mark was not con-

vinced in his soul of the reality of the empty tomb. To him the

resurrection was not questionable—it was real; and the appear-

ance of his Lord and Master among men was a fact established in

his mind beyond the shadow of a doubt. To the proclaiming of

this truth he devoted his life, and if tradition can be relied upon,

he sealed his testimony with his blood.

Another who records the testimony of eye witnesses was Luke,

a Gentile, or, as some think, a proselyte of Antioch in Syria,

where he followed the profession of physician. (Col. 4:14.) Even

some of his most severe modern critics have placed him in the

first rank of an historian, and his personal contact with early

apostles makes his statements of inestimable value.

What he wrote was the result of personal inquiry and investi-

gation, and was drawn from all available sources. Particularly he

interviewed and recorded the declarations of those “who from

the beginning were [eye] witnesses and ministers of the Word.”

He avers that he “accurately traced all things from the very first,”

so that he might “write them in order.” [See Luke 1:1–4.] This

means that Luke obtained the testimony of these “eye witnesses”

directly from themselves and not from previous narratives.

According to all trustworthy testimony, we have the Gospel of

Luke as it came from his hand. In chapter 24, Luke testifies to the

divine message: “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is

not here, but is risen.” [Luke 24:5–6.]

With equal assurance as to their accuracy we can accept his

statements and witness in regard to Peter’s and Paul’s and other

apostles’ testimony regarding the resurrection. “To whom also

Christ showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible

proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things

pertaining to the kingdom of God.” [See Acts 1:3.] Who can doubt

Luke’s absolute confidence in the reality of the resurrection?

It is true that neither Mark nor Luke testifies to having person-

ally seen the risen Lord, and therefore, some urge that their

recorded testimonies cannot be taken as first hand evidence. That

C H A P T E R 7

64

they do not so testify, and yet were convinced that others did see

Him, shows how incontrovertible was the evidence among the

apostles and other disciples that the resurrection was a reality.

Fortunately, however, there is a document which does give the

personal testimony of an eye witness to an appearance of Jesus

after his death and burial. This personal witness also corrobo-

rates the testimony not only of the two men whom I have quoted

but of others also. I refer to Saul, a Jew of Tarsus, educated at the

feet of Gamaliel, a strict Pharisee, and before his conversion a

bitter persecutor of all who believed in Jesus of Nazareth as hav-

ing risen from the dead. And now in the oldest authentic docu-

ment in existence relating or testifying to the resurrection of

Christ, we find Paul saying this to the Corinthians:

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,

how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and

that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day accord-

ing to the scriptures; and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the

Twelve. After that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at

once, of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but

some are fallen asleep. After that he was seen of James; then of

all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one

born out of due time.” [1 Corinthians 15:3–8.]4

Worldly skepticism cannot negate the testimony of eyewitnesses.

Too many today are like the men on Mars’ Hill two thousand

years ago who erected an altar to “The Unknown God,” but who

knew little or nothing about him. We read that on his way to the

Areopagus, Paul had beheld magnificent statues erected to vari-

ous gods. . . . Here frequently gathered philosophers and judges,

the ablest thinkers, the wisest sages of the ancient world, con-

sidering and discoursing on the mysteries of life and the destiny

of the human race.

In the midst of all this worldly wisdom there stood a lonely

little brown-eyed man who challenged much of their philoso-

phy as false and their worship of images as gross error—the

only man in that great city of intellectuals who knew by actual

C H A P T E R 7

65

experience that a man may pass through the portals of death

and live. . . . As Paul discoursed eloquently on the personality of

God, the philosophers listened curiously though attentively

until he testified that God had raised Jesus from the dead.

When they heard of the resurrection, some mocked and all

but a few turned away, leaving him who had declared the truth

even more lonely than ever. [See Acts 17:22–33.] Today, as on

Mars’ Hill, when we speak of the resurrection of the dead, there

are some who mock and others who doubt and turn away.

Today, as then, too many men and women have other gods to

which they give more thought than to the resurrected Lord. . . .

Establish it as a fact that Christ did take up His body and

appeared as a glorified, resurrected Being, and you answer the

question of the ages—“If a man dies, shall he live again?” [See

Job 14:14.]

That the literal resurrection from the grave was a reality to the

disciples who knew Christ intimately is a certainty. In their minds

there was absolutely no doubt. They were witnesses of the fact.

They knew because their eyes beheld, their ears heard, their

hands felt the corporal presence of the risen Redeemer.5

That the spirit of man passes triumphantly through the portals

of death into everlasting life is one of the glorious messages

given by Christ, our Redeemer. To him this earthly career is but

a day and its closing but the setting of life’s sun. Death, but a

sleep, is followed by a glorious awakening in the morning of an

eternal realm. When Mary and Martha saw their brother only as

a corpse in the dark and silent tomb, Christ saw him still a living

being. This fact he expressed in two words: “. . . Lazarus sleep-

eth. . . .” ( John 11:11.) If everyone . . . knew that the crucified

Christ actually rose on the third day—that after having greeted

others and mingled with others in the spirit world, his spirit did

again reanimate his pierced body, and after sojourning among

men for the space of forty days, he ascended a glorified soul to

his Father—what benign peace would come to souls now

troubled with doubt and uncertainty!

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands with

Peter, with Paul, with James, and with all the other early apostles

C H A P T E R 7

66

who accepted the resurrection not only as being literally true,

but as the consummation of Christ’s divine mission on earth.6

The latest and greatest confirmation that Jesus rose from the

grave is the appearance of the Father and the Son to the Prophet

Joseph Smith, nineteen hundred years after the event. . . . This

miracle of life is significant not only in itself, but in its connota-

tion of all the basic principles of true Christianity.7

Christ’s Resurrection affirms the omnipotence of God and the immortality of man.

For over four thousand years, man had looked into the grave

and had seen only the end of life. Of all the millions who had

entered therein, not one person had ever returned as a resur-

rected, immortal being. “There was in all earth’s area, not one

empty grave. No human heart believed; no human voice

declared that there was such a grave—a grave robbed by the

power of a Victor stronger than man’s great enemy, Death.”

It was, therefore, a new and glorious message that the angel

gave to the women who fearfully and lovingly had approached

the sepulcher in which Jesus had been buried: “. . . Ye seek Jesus

of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here:

behold the place where they laid him.” (Mark 16:6.)

If a miracle is a supernatural event whose antecedent forces

are beyond man’s finite wisdom, then the resurrection of Jesus

Christ is the most stupendous miracle of all time. In it stand

revealed the omnipotence of God and the immortality of man.

The resurrection is a miracle, however, only in the sense that it

is beyond man’s comprehension and understanding. To all who

accept it as fact, it is but a manifestation of a uniform law of life.

Because man does not understand the law, he calls it a miracle.8

Resurrection and Spring are happily associated, not that there

is anything in nature exactly analogous to the resurrection, but

there is so much which suggests an AWAKENING thought. Like

the stillness of death Old Winter has held all vegetable life in his

grasp, but as Spring approaches the tender life-giving power of

heat and light compels him to relinquish his grip, and what

C H A P T E R 7

67

seems to have been dead comes forth in newness of life,

refreshed, invigorated, strengthened after a peaceful sleep.

So it is with man. What we call death Jesus referred to as sleep.

“Lazarus sleeps,” he said to his disciples [see John 11:11]. “The

damsel sleepeth,” were his comforting words to the bereaved

and sorrowing parents of a little girl [see Mark 5:39]. Indeed, to

the Savior of the world there is no such thing as death—only

life—eternal life. Truly he could say, “I am the Resurrection and

the Life. He that believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall

he live.” [John 11:25.]

With this assurance, obedience to eternal law should be a joy,

not a burden, for life is joy, life is love. . . . Obedience to Christ

and his laws brings life. May each recurring Easter emphasize

this truth, and fill our souls with the divine assurance that Christ

is truly risen, and through him man’s immortality secured.9

The faithful receive the comforting testimony of the Resurrection.

There is no cause to fear death; it is but an incident in life. It

is as natural as birth. Why should we fear it? Some fear it because

they think it is the end of life, and life often is the dearest thing

we have. Eternal life is man’s greatest blessing.

If only men would “do his will” [see John 7:17], instead of

looking hopelessly at the dark and gloomy tomb, they would

turn their eyes heavenward and know that Christ is risen!

No man can accept the resurrection and be consistent in his

belief without accepting also the existence of a personal God.

Through the resurrection Christ conquered death and became

an immortal soul. “My Lord and my God” ( John 20:28) was not

merely an idle exclamation of Thomas when he beheld his risen

Lord. Once we accept Christ as divine, it is easy to visualize his

Father as being just as personal as he; for, said Jesus, “. . . he that

hath seen me hath seen the Father. . . .” ( John 14:9.)10

As Christ lived after death so shall all men, each taking his

place in the next world for which he has best fitted himself. The

message of the resurrection, therefore, is the most comforting,

the most glorious ever given to man, for when death takes a

C H A P T E R 7

68

loved one from us, our sorrowing hearts are assuaged by the

hope and the divine assurance expressed in the words:

“He is not here: he is risen.” [See Matthew 28:6.] Because our

Redeemer lives so shall we. I bear you witness that He does live.

I know it, as I hope you know that divine truth.11

Jesus passed through all the experiences of mortality just as

you and I. He knew happiness, he experienced pain. He rejoiced

as well as sorrowed with others. He knew friendship. He experi-

enced, also, the sadness that comes through traitors and false

accusers. He died a mortal death even as you will. Since Christ

lived after death, so shall you, and so shall I. . . .

Jesus was the one perfect man who ever lived. In rising from the

dead, he conquered death and is now Lord of the earth. How

utterly weak, how extremely foolish is he who would willfully

reject Christ’s way of life, especially in the light of the fact that such

rejection leads only to unhappiness, misery, and even to death! . . .

When Christians throughout the world have this faith [in Jesus

Christ] coursing in their veins, when they feel a loyalty in their

hearts to the Resurrected Christ and to the principles connoted

thereby, mankind will have taken the first great step toward the

perpetual peace for which we are daily praying.12

There are many so-called Christians who do not believe in the

literal resurrection, and upon your shoulders and the shoulders

of . . . others in this Church rests the responsibility of declaring

to the world his divine Son-ship, his literal resurrection from the

grave, and his appearance in person in the presence of the

Father to the prophet Joseph Smith.13


• What evidence exists of the literal Resurrection of Jesus

Christ? (See pages 62–64, 66.) How has your testimony of

Jesus’ Resurrection been strengthened by the witness of His

ancient and modern-day Apostles?

• In what ways does “worldly wisdom” attempt to dispute the

reality of Jesus’ Resurrection? (See pages 64–65.)

C H A P T E R 7

69

• How is the doctrine of the Resurrection a fundamental part of

the plan of salvation?

• President McKay taught that the Resurrection is a “manifesta-

tion of a uniform law of life” and that “Resurrection and

Spring are happily associated.” In what ways is the

Resurrection similar to spring? (See pages 66–67.) How might

you use this analogy to help children understand the

Resurrection?

• How can we gain or strengthen a testimony of the

Resurrection? (See pages 67–68.) How does your testimony of

the Resurrection influence the decisions you make? What

other gospel principles are more easily understood after we

have a testimony of the Resurrection?

• How does a knowledge of the Resurrection lessen the sorrow

associated with death and help comfort those who mourn?

(See pages 67–68.) What examples have you seen of people

being strengthened in trials by their testimony of the

Resurrection?

• Why is the existence of a resurrected God so important to

mankind?

Related Scriptures: Job 19:25–27; Mark 16:1–6; Acts 2:22–32;

4:33; 1 Corinthians 15:3–8; 3 Nephi 11:15; D&C 76:22–24

Notes


2. Quoted in David Lawrence McKay, MyFather, David O. McKay (1989), 84–85.












70

“I cherish as one of the dearest experiences of life the knowledge

that God hears the prayer of faith.”

C H A P T E R 8

The Power of Prayer

God will be there to guide and direct him who “will seek Him in faith with all

his might and with all his soul.”1

Introduction

In the spring of 1921, Elder David O. McKay and Brother Hugh

J. Cannon visited New Zealand as part of their worldwide tour of

the missions of the Church. One Sunday, Elder McKay was sched-

uled to speak to a conference of Saints in the afternoon.

However, when he awoke that morning he was ill and so hoarse

he could barely speak above a whisper. Nevertheless, he

attended the conference with faith he would be able to deliver

his message. He later recorded:

“A thousand people . . . assembled for the afternoon service.

They came with curiosity and high expectations. It was my duty

to give them a message, but I was not only too hoarse to speak

and be heard by that crowd, but I was also ill.

“However, with a most appealing prayer in my heart for divine

help and guidance, I arose to perform my duty. My voice was

tight and husky. . . .

“Then happened what had never before happened to me. I

entered into my theme with all the earnestness and vehemence

I could command and spoke as loud as possible. Feeling my

voice getting clearer and more resonant, I soon forgot I had a

voice and thought only of the truth I wanted my hearers to

understand and accept. For forty minutes I continued with my

address, and when I concluded, my voice was as resonant and

clear as it ever was. . . .

“When I told Brother Cannon and some other brethren how

earnestly I had prayed for the very blessing I had received, he

71

C H A P T E R 8

72

said, ‘I too, was praying—never prayed more fervently for a

speaker in my life.’ ” 2


God is a personal Being whom we can approach in prayer.

I have cherished from childhood the truth that God is a per-

sonal being, and is, indeed, our Father whom we can approach

in prayer and receive answers thereto. I cherish as one of the

dearest experiences of life the knowledge that God hears the

prayer of faith. It is true that the answers to our prayers may not

always come as direct and at the time, nor in the manner, we

anticipate; but they do come, and at a time and in a manner best

for the interests of him who offers the supplication.

There have been occasions, however, when I have received

direct and immediate assurance that my petition was granted. At

one time, particularly, the answer came as distinctly as though

my Heavenly Father stood by my side and spoke the words.

These experiences are part of my very being and must remain so

long as memory and intelligence last. Just as real and just as

close to me seems the Savior of the world.

I feel as I have never felt before that God is my Father. He is

not just an intangible power, a moral force in the world, but a

personal God with creative power, the governor of the world,

the director of our souls. I would have all men, and especially

the young people of the Church, feel so close to our Father in

heaven that they will approach Him daily—not in public alone,

but in private. If our people will have this faith, great blessings

will come to them. Their souls will be filled with thanksgiving for

what God has done for them; they will find themselves rich in

favors bestowed. It is not imagination that we can approach God

and receive light and guidance from him, and that our minds will

be enlightened and our souls thrilled by his Spirit.3

When you kneel down to pray at night, do you feel his near-

ness, his personality hearing you, do you feel a power that oper-

C H A P T E R 8

73

ates perhaps as the radio or a greater power so that you feel that

you are communing with him?4

I would like to have the young men of Israel feel so close to

[God] that they will approach Him daily, not in public alone, but

in private. I would have them have the trust in Him which the

little blind girl had in her father. She was sitting on his lap in the

train, and a friend sitting by said: “Let me rest you,” and he

reached over and took the little child on his lap. The father said

to her: “Do you know who is holding you?” “No,” she replied,

“but you do.” Oh, the trust of that child in her father. . . . Just so

real should be the trust which the Latter-day Saint boys and girls

have in their Father in heaven.5

It is a good thing for boys and girls to learn that they can go

to God in prayer. You students in the university will learn, as stu-

dents in every school should learn, when you have difficulties

that you can receive help and guidance if you seek it in sincerity.

Perhaps you will arise as some of us did in youth and feel that

your prayers are not answered, but some day you will realize the

fact that God did answer your prayers just as a wise parent

would have done. That is one of the greatest possessions of

youth to feel that you can go to our Father and pour out your

heart to him.6

Prayer is more than words; it requires faith, effort, and a proper attitude.

Prayer is the pulsation of a yearning, loving heart in tune with

the Infinite. It is a message of the soul sent directly to a loving

Father. The language is not mere words. . . .

The first and most fundamental virtue in effective prayer is

faith. A belief in God brings peace to the soul. An assurance that

God is our Father, into whose presence we can go for comfort

and guidance, is a never-failing source of comfort.

Another essential virtue is reverence. This virtue is exemplified

in the model prayer given by the Savior in the words “Hallowed

be thy name.” [Matthew 6:9.] This principle should be exempli-

fied in classrooms, and particularly in our houses of worship.

C H A P T E R 8

74

The third essential element is sincerity. Prayer is the yearning

of the spirit. Sincere praying implies that when we ask for any

virtue or blessing we should work for the blessing and cultivate

the virtue.

The next essential virtue is loyalty. Why pray for the Kingdom

of God to come unless you have in your heart a desire and a will-

ingness to aid in its establishment? Praying for His will to be

done and then not trying to live it, gives you a negative answer

at once. You would not grant something to a child who showed

that attitude towards a request he is making of you. If we pray

for the success of some cause or enterprise, manifestly we are in

sympathy with it. It is the height of disloyalty to pray for God’s

will to be done, and then fail to conform our lives to that will.

A final essential virtue is humility. . . . The principle of humil-

ity and prayer leads one to feel a need of divine guidance. Self-

reliance is a virtue, but with it should go a consciousness of the

need of superior help—a consciousness that as you walk firmly

in the pathway of duty, there is a possibility of your making a

misstep; and with that consciousness is a prayer, a pleading that

God will inspire you to avoid that false step.7

Prayer in the home teaches children faith in God.

If you ask me where I first received my unwavering faith in the

existence of a God, I would answer you: in the home of my child-

hood—when Father and Mother invariably called their children

around them in the morning and at night and invoked God’s

blessing upon the household and upon mankind. There was a

sincerity in that good patriarch’s voice that left an undying

impression in the souls of his children, and Mother’s prayers

were equally impressive. I ask tonight that every father in the

Church see to it that in all sincerity he impress his children with

the reality of the existence of God and with the reality that God

will guide and protect his children. You carry that responsibility.

Home is one of the units—the fundamental unit—of society.

Before I heard my father testify that he had heard a divine voice,

I knew that he lived near to his Maker.8

C H A P T E R 8

75

Latter-day Saint children have been taught to recognize [God],

and to pray to him as one who can listen and hear and feel just

as an earthly father can listen, hear and feel, and they have

absorbed into their very beings, from their mothers and their

fathers, the real testimony that this personal God has spoken in

this dispensation. There is a reality about it.9

I submit that where children are brought up in close com-

munion with our Eternal Father that there can not be much sin

or much evil in that home. When a little suffering child burning

with fever, will look up to his father and in simple faith say,

“Papa, bless me,” I want to tell you that from such homes arise

the strength and the glory of any nation. Such are the homes of

Latter-day Saints.10

“Lord, teach us how to pray” was the reverent plea of the dis-

ciples of the Master [see Luke 11:1]. Humble as children they

sought proper guidance, and their appeal was not in vain.

Just as keenly as did the disciples, so at times may children

sense the need of divine guidance and comfort, yet not express

their yearning in spoken request. Hence the Lord placed upon

parents the duty to “teach their children to pray.” [D&C 68:28.]

Worries, perplexities, and sorrows are as real in the life of a little

child as in the adult world, and children are entitled to the com-

fort, consolation, and guidance obtained from God through prayer.

Not only that, but from the standpoint of faith, sincerity, and

abiding trust, the prayer of an innocent child will surely receive

most ready response from a loving Father.11

The inspiration of God is seen in requiring the Latter-day

Saints to keep their homes intact, and to teach their children the

principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now, I do not mean by

that that we should make such teaching formal or in any way dis-

tasteful. I mean that the gospel of Jesus Christ should radiate in

every home; that the prayer night and morning should be

offered up in sincerity; that the children daily would realize that

we desire in our home the presence of God. If we can invite the

Savior there, we may know that the angels will be not only will-

ing but eager to protect our boys and girls. I believe that in most

homes boys and girls are taught to pray before retiring for the

C H A P T E R 8

76

“Are you following Christ’s admonition to pray to the Father

and teach your children to pray?”

night. I believe, however, that, too generally, the morning

prayers are neglected. When we come to think of it, though, it is

during the waking hours that our boys and girls need the pro-

tection of God, and the guidance of his Holy Spirit, more even

than when they are asleep.12

Are you following Christ’s admonition to pray to the Father

and teach your children to pray, that godliness, reverence for

God and his work, every day may be impressed upon the hearts

of your children? That should be in every home. Pray not only for

yourselves, but pray even for your enemies.13

Parents, if you do not do anything else, kneel down in the

morning with your children. I know your mornings are usually

busy, . . . but have some time when you can kneel and invite God

into your home. Prayer is a potent force.14

Through family prayer let parents and children come into the

presence of God.15

76

C H A P T E R 8

77

Prayer brings many great blessings.

The potency of . . . prayers throughout the Church came to me

yesterday when I received a letter from a neighbor in my old

home town. He was milking his cows when the word came over

his radio which he has in his barn that President [George Albert]

Smith had passed. He sensed what that would mean to his for-

mer fellow-townsman, and he left his barn and went to the

house and told his wife. Immediately they called their little chil-

dren, and there in that humble home, suspending their activi-

ties, they knelt down as a family and offered prayer. The

significance of that scene I leave for you to understand. Multiply

that by a hundred thousand, two hundred thousand, half a mil-

lion homes, and see the power in the unity and prayers, and the

sustaining influence in the body of the Church.16

If we can get our young people to have . . . faith and so to

approach their God in secret, there are at least four great bless-

ings that will come to them here and now. The first is gratitude—

gratitude for blessings before unrealized. Their souls will be filled

with thanksgiving for what God has done for them. They will find

themselves rich in favors bestowed. The young man who closes

the door behind him, who draws the curtains, and there in

silence prepares to plead with God for help, should first pour out

his soul in gratitude for health, for friends, for loved ones, for the

gospel, for the manifestations of God’s existence, as seen in the

rocks and the trees and the stones and the flowers, and all things

about him. He should first count his many blessings, name them

one by one, and it will surprise him what the Lord has done [see

“Count Your Blessings,” Hymns, no. 241].

The second blessing of prayer is guidance. I cannot conceive of

a young man’s going astray who will kneel down by his bedside

in the morning and pray to God to help him keep himself unspot-

ted from the sins of the world. I think that a young girl will not

go far wrong who will kneel down in the morning and pray that

she might be kept pure and spotless during the coming day. I can-

not think that a Latter-day Saint will hold enmity in his heart if he

will sincerely, in secret, pray God to remove from his heart all

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78

feelings of envy and malice toward any of his fellowmen.

Guidance? Yes, God will be there to guide and direct him who

“will seek Him in faith with all his might and with all his soul.”

The third blessing is confidence. All over this land there are

thousands and tens of thousands of students who are struggling

to get an education. Let us teach these students that if they want

to succeed in their lessons, they should seek their God, that the

greatest teacher known to the world stands near them to guide

them. Once the student feels that he can approach the Lord

through prayer, the student will receive confidence that he can

get his lessons, that he can write his speech, that he can stand up

before his fellow students and deliver his message without fear

of failure. Confidence comes through sincere prayer.

Finally he will get inspiration. It is not imagination, that we

can approach God and can receive light and guidance from Him,

that our minds will be enlightened, our souls thrilled by His

Spirit. . . . Joseph Smith knew it; and the testimony, the evidence

of the Prophet Joseph’s inspiration is manifest to all who will but

open their eyes to see and their hearts to understand.17


• How has prayer strengthened your relationship with God?

Why is it important to know that you are praying to your

Father in Heaven, in whose image you were created? (See

pages 72–73.)

• What are some ways that God answers prayers? (See pages

72–73.) Why does it seem that some prayers are not answered

immediately? What blessings have you had with prayers being

answered?

• What attributes or attitudes can we adopt that will help our

prayers become more sincere and meaningful? (See pages

73–74.) How can we prepare ourselves spiritually before

offering prayer?

• How can parents teach children to pray? (See pages 74–76.) In

what ways can individual and family prayer in the home influ-

ence the lives of children? (See pages 74–76.) Why is daily

C H A P T E R 8

79

prayer such a significant part of strengthening and unifying

families?

• What are some blessings that come from regular prayer? (See

pages 77–78.) What can we do to make our prayers more

meaningful and less repetitive or mechanical?

• How can sincere and earnest prayer help to cleanse our souls

of unkindness or feelings of ill will toward others?

Related Scriptures: Matthew 21:22; James 5:16; 2 Nephi 32:8–9;

Alma 17:3; 34:17–28; 3 Nephi 18:18–21; D&C 19:38

Notes


2. Cherished Experiences from theWritings of President David O. McKay,comp. Clare Middlemiss, rev. ed.(1976), 58–59.




6. Stepping Stones to an Abundant Life,comp. Llewelyn R. McKay (1971), 42.

7. Pathways to Happiness, comp.Llewelyn R. McKay (1957), 225–26.




11. True to the Faith: From the Sermonsand Discourses of David O. McKay,comp. Llewelyn R. McKay (1966),210–11.



14. Man May Know for Himself:Teachings of President David O.McKay, comp. Clare Middlemiss(1967), 300.

15. Stepping Stones to an Abundant Life,281.



80

“You are in the midst of temptation, but you, as Christ

on the Mount of Temptation, can rise above it.”

C H A P T E R 9

Overcoming Temptation

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Court him, and you will soon have shackles,

not on your wrists, but on your soul.1

Introduction

As a young missionary in Scotland, David O. McKay attended a

meeting conducted by James L. McMurrin, a counselor in the

European Mission presidency. During the course of the meeting,

those in attendance witnessed several manifestations of the gifts

of the Spirit. About 70 years later, in a priesthood meeting,

President McKay recalled: “I remember, as if it were yesterday,

the intensity of the inspiration of that occasion. Everybody felt

the rich outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord. All present were

truly of one heart and one mind. Never before had I experienced

such an emotion. . . .

“Such was the setting in which James L. McMurrin gave what

has since proved to be a prophecy. I had learned by intimate asso-

ciation with him that James McMurrin was pure gold. His faith in

the gospel was implicit. No truer man, no man more loyal to what

he thought was right ever lived. So when he turned to me and

gave what I thought then was more of a caution than a promise,

his words made an indelible impression upon me. Paraphrasing

the words of the Savior to Peter, Brother McMurrin said: ‘Let me

say to you, Brother David, Satan hath desired you that he may sift

you as wheat, but God is mindful of you.’ [See Luke 22:31.] . . .

“At that moment there flashed in my mind temptations that had

beset my path, and I realized even better than President McMurrin,

or any other man, how truly he had spoken when he said, ‘Satan

hath desired thee.’ With the resolve then and there to keep the

faith, there was born a desire to be of service to my fellowmen; and

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82

with it came a realization, a glimpse at least, of what I owed to the

elder who first carried the message of the restored gospel to my

grandfather and grandmother, who had accepted the message

years before in the north of Scotland and in South Wales.”

President McKay concluded this story for the young men of the

Church with counsel that is applicable to all: “I ask God to con-

tinue to bless you. . . . Do not let temptation lead you astray.”2


We must guard ourselves and our families against the influence of the adversary.

Trees that can stand in the midst of the hurricane often yield

to the destroying pests that we can scarcely see with a micro-

scope. Likewise the greatest foes of humanity today are the

subtle and sometimes unseen influences at work in society that

are undermining the manhood and womanhood of today. The

test, after all, of the faithfulness and effectiveness of God’s

people is an individual one. What is the individual doing?

Every temptation that comes to you and me comes in one of

three forms:

(1) A temptation of the appetite or passion;

(2) A yielding to pride, fashion, or vanity;

(3) A desire for worldly riches or power and dominion over

lands or earthly possessions of men.

Such temptations come to us in our social gatherings; they

come to us in our political strivings; they come to us in our busi-

ness relations, on the farm, in the mercantile establishment; in

our dealings in all the affairs of life we find these insidious influ-

ences working. It is when they manifest themselves to the con-

sciousness of each individual that the defense of truth should

exert itself.

The Church teaches that life here is probationary. It is man’s

duty to become the master, not the slave of nature. His appetites

are to be controlled and used for the benefit of his health and

C H A P T E R 9

83

the prolongation of his life—his passions mastered and con-

trolled for the happiness and blessing of others. . . .

If you have lived true to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and

continue to do so, happiness will fill your soul. If you vary from

it and become conscious that you have fallen short of what you

know is right, you are going to be unhappy even [if] you have

the wealth of the world. . . .

In their yearning for a good time, young people are often

tempted to indulge in the things which appeal only to the baser

side of humanity, five of the most common of which are: first,

vulgarity and obscenity; second, drinking and petting; third,

unchastity; fourth, disloyalty; and, fifth, irreverence.

Vulgarity is often the first step down the road to indulgence.

To be vulgar is to give offense to good taste or refined feelings.

It is only a step from vulgarity to obscenity. It is right, indeed

essential, to the happiness of our young people that they meet

in social parties, but it is an indication of low morals when for

entertainment they must resort to physical stimulation and

debasement. Drinking and petting parties form an environment

in which the moral sense becomes dulled, and unbridled pas-

sion holds sway. It then becomes easy to take the final step

downward in moral disgrace.

When, instead of high moral principles, a life of immoral

indulgence is chosen, and man or woman gets far down in the

scale of degeneracy, disloyalty is an inevitable part of his or her

nature. Loyalty to parents becomes quenched; obedience to

their teachings and ideals abandoned; loyalty to wife and chil-

dren smothered in base gratification; loyalty to Church

impossible, and often supplanted by sneers at its teachings.3

Temptation often comes in [a] quiet way. Perhaps the yielding

to it may not be known by anyone save the individual and his

God, but if he does yield to it, he becomes to that extent weak-

ened, and spotted with the evil of the world.4

Satan was cast down because he tried to replace the Creator.

But his power is still manifest. He is active and is prompting at

this moment the denial of God’s existence, of the existence

C H A P T E R 9

84

of his Beloved Son, and denying the efficacy of the gospel of

Jesus Christ.5

The enemy is active. He is cunning and wily, and seeks every

opportunity to undermine the foundation of the Church, and

strikes wherever it is possible to weaken or to destroy. . . . God

has given the freedom of choice. Our moral and spiritual

progress depends upon the use we make of that freedom.6

Satan is still determined to have his way, and his emissaries have

power given them today as they have not had throughout the cen-

turies. Be prepared to meet conditions that may be severe, ideo-

logical conditions that may seem reasonable but are evil. In order

to meet these forces, we must depend upon the whisperings of

the Holy Spirit, to which you are entitled. They are real.

God is guiding this church. Be true to it; be loyal to it. Be true

to your families, loyal to them. Protect your children. Guide

them, not arbitrarily, but through the kind example of a father,

and so contribute to the strength of the Church by exercising

your priesthood in your home and in your lives.7

Membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

carries with it the responsibility to overcome temptation, to

battle error, to improve the mind, and to develop one’s spirit until

it comes to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.8

The adversary tries to strike at our weakest point, but we gain strength as we resist him.

You cannot tamper with the Evil One. Resist temptation, resist

the Devil and he will flee from you. [See James 4:7.]

The Savior on the Mount gave us the greatest example in all

the world. . . . Just after the Savior’s baptism, he was led up to

the mount that is known now as the Mount of Temptation. I do

not know whether that is where he stood, where he fasted for

forty days, or not. But it was on some mount that he went, and

after . . . forty days, the Tempter came to him, so we are told, and

as the Tempter always does, he struck at him in what the

Tempter thought was his weakest point.

After [Jesus had] fasted, the Tempter thought he would be

hungry, and the first temptation, you will remember, was, “If,”

C H A P T E R 9

85

and he said it sarcastically, “If thou be the Son of God,” referring

to the testimony of the Father when he said, “This is my beloved

Son,”—“If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones

be made bread.” And there is a stone there in that area which is

not unlike a Jewish wheat-loaf, so that would make the tempta-

tion of it appeal all the stronger. Christ’s answer was: “Man shall

not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out

of the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4:3–4.)

The next temptation quoted scripture also. It was an appeal to

vanity, an appeal to gain ascendancy over our fellows: “If thou be

the Son of God, cast thyself down . . .” (from a pinnacle of the

temple) “. . . for it is written . . .” (and the Devil can cite scripture

for his purpose) “. . . for it is written, He shall give his angels charge

concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at

any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.” And the answer was,

“Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” (Matt. 4:6–7.)

The third temptation was of love of wealth and power. The

tempter took Jesus to a high mountain and showed him the

things of the world and the power thereof. He was not sarcastic

in this temptation. He was pleading, for the resistance of the

Savior had weakened the Tempter’s powers. He showed him the

things of the world. “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt

fall down and worship me.” Rising in the majesty of his divinity,

Jesus said: “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt

worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” And

the Tempter slunk away. [See Matthew 4:8–11.] . . .

There is your story. . . . Your weakest point will be the point at

which the Devil tries to tempt you, will try to win you, and if you

have made it weak before you have undertaken to serve the

Lord, he will add to that weakness. Resist him and you will gain

in strength. He will tempt you in another point. Resist him and

he becomes weaker and you become stronger, until you can say,

no matter what your surroundings may be, “Get thee behind me,

Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and

him only shalt thou serve.” (Luke 4:8.)9

With his disciples just before Gethsemane, . . . [Jesus] said, “And

now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, . . .

C H A P T E R 9

86

“I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but

that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” ( John 17:11, 15.)

There is your lesson. . . . You are in the midst of temptation,

but you, as Christ on the Mount of Temptation, can rise above it.10

As we live the gospel and exercise self-control,we receive joy and peace.

As long as the Adversary to truth is free to exercise dominion

in this world, we are going to have attacks, and the only way to

meet those attacks is to live the Gospel.11

This gospel gives us a chance to live above this old world and

its temptations and, through self-control and self-mastery, to live

in the spirit, and that is the real life here and hereafter.12

May we realize as never before that mastery of one’s personal

inclinations is the heart of the Christian religion and of all reli-

gions. By nature the individual is selfish and inclined to follow his

immediate impulses. It requires religion, or something higher

than an individual or even a society of individuals, to overcome

the selfish impulses of the natural man. . . . Self-mastery comes

through self-denial of little things. Christ in these singular words

said: “. . . whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever

will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matt. 16:25.)

Whenever you forget self and strive for the betterment of oth-

ers, and for something higher and better, you rise to the spiritual

plane. If, in the moment of quarreling, in the moment of temp-

tation to find fault with another, we will lose our self-centered

self for the good of the Church of which we are members, for the

good of the community, and especially for the progress of the

gospel of Jesus Christ, we will be blessed spiritually, and happi-

ness will be our reward.

“What though I conquer my enemies,

And lay up store and pelf!

I am a conqueror poor indeed

Till I subdue myself.”

[Author unknown.]13

C H A P T E R 9

87

A person who indulges his appetites, either secretly or other-

wise, has a character that will not serve him when he is tempted

to indulge his passions.14

What a man continually thinks about determines his actions in

times of opportunity and stress. A man’s reaction to his appetites

and impulses when they are aroused gives the measure of that

man’s character. In these reactions are revealed the man’s power

to govern or his forced servility to yield.15

Actions in harmony with divine law and the laws of nature will

bring happiness, and those in opposition to divine truth, misery.

Man is responsible not only for every deed, but also for every

idle word and thought. Said the Savior:

“. . . every idle word that men shall speak they shall give

account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36.)16

All good things require effort. That which is worth having will

cost part of your physical being, your intellectual power, and

your soul power—“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye

shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” (Matt. 7:7.)

But you have to seek, you have to knock. On the other hand, sin

thrusts itself upon you. It walks beside you, it tempts you, it

entices, it allures. You do not have to put forth effort. . . . It is

like the billboard advertising attracting you to drink and to

smoke. It is like the message that comes into your very homes

with the television and radio. . . . Evil seeks you, and it requires

effort and fortitude to combat it. But truth and wisdom are

gained only by seeking, by prayer, and by effort.17

Let us ever keep in mind that life is largely what we make it,

and that the Savior of men has marked clearly and plainly just

how joy and peace may be obtained. It is in the gospel of Jesus

Christ and adherence thereto.18

May God grant that as we are seeking the further establish-

ment of the kingdom of God, that we may instruct our young

people, and the members of the Church everywhere, to resist

temptations that weaken the body, that destroy the soul, that we

may stand truly repentant as we were when we entered the

waters of baptism; that we may be renewed in the true sense of

C H A P T E R 9

88

the word, that we may be born again; that our souls might bask

in the light of the Holy Spirit, and go on as true members of the

Church of Jesus Christ until our mission on earth is completed.19


• President McKay used the analogy of strong trees that could

withstand great storms but were destroyed by microscopic

pests that entered in (see page 82). In what ways can this anal-

ogy apply to our battles against temptation? (See pages 84–85.)

What can we do to avoid inviting temptation into our lives?

How can we strengthen children and youth against the increas-

ing temptations in the world?

• In what ways might temptations differ, depending on our

individual situations? What can we do to help each other resist

temptation?

• What can we learn from the account of the Savior withstand-

ing Satan’s temptations? (See Matthew 4:1–11 and Luke

4:1–13, including the footnotes with excerpts from the Joseph

Smith Translation; see also D&C 20:22.)

• In what ways does the pleasure of yielding to temptation dif-

fer from the joy of following the Savior?

• How does Satan try to use our weaknesses? (See pages

84–85.) How can we overcome our weaknesses through Jesus

Christ? (See also Ether 12:27.)

• What can you do to resist and overcome temptations that

often beset you? Why is it essential to establish our values

before we find ourselves in tempting situations?

• In our efforts to follow the Savior and resist temptation, how

can it help us to remember that “no man can serve two mas-

ters”? (Matthew 6:24).

• How do righteous and wholesome thoughts help us over-

come temptation? What can we do to develop the self-mastery

and self-control of which President McKay often spoke? (See

pages 86–88.)

C H A P T E R 9

89




















Related Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:12–17; 2 Peter

2:9; 1 Nephi 12:17; 15:23–24; Helaman 5:12; 3 Nephi 18:18–19;

D&C 10:5

Notes

90

“The appearing of the Father and the Son to Joseph Smith is the foundation

of this Church. Therein lies the secret of its strength and vitality.”

C H A P T E R 1 0

The Divine Calling of theProphet Joseph Smith

I have an abiding testimony that the Father and the Sonappeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith and revealed

through him the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is, indeed,“the power of God unto salvation.” [Romans 1:16.]1

Introduction

President David O. McKay said, “Since childhood it has been

very easy for me to believe in the reality of the visions of the

Prophet Joseph Smith.” 2 He said that his testimony of the

Prophet Joseph was strengthened when he heard of an experi-

ence his father had as a missionary in Scotland:

“When [my father] began preaching in his native land and bore

testimony of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, he

noticed that the people turned away from him. They were bitter in

their hearts against anything [related to the Church], and the name

of Joseph Smith seemed to arouse antagonism in their hearts. One

day he concluded that the best way to reach these people would

be to preach just the simple principles, the atonement of the Lord

Jesus Christ, the first principles of the gospel, and not bear testi-

mony of the restoration. In a month or so he became oppressed

with a gloomy, downcast feeling, and he could not enter into the

spirit of his work. He did not really know what was the matter, but

his mind became obstructed; his spirit became depressed; he was

oppressed and hampered; and that feeling of depression contin-

ued until it weighed him down with such heaviness that he went

to the Lord and said, ‘Unless I can get this feeling removed, I shall

have to go home. I can’t continue having my work thus hampered.’

“The discouragement continued for some time after that,

when, one morning before daylight, following a sleepless night,

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C H A P T E R 1 0

92

he decided to retire to a cave, near the ocean, where he knew he

would be shut off from the world entirely, and there pour out his

soul to God and ask why he was oppressed with this feeling,

what he had done, and what he could do to throw it off and con-

tinue his work. He started out in the dark toward the cave. He

became so eager to get to it that he started to run. As he was leav-

ing the town, he was hailed by an officer who wanted to know

what was the matter. He gave some noncommittal but satisfac-

tory reply and was permitted to go on. Something just seemed

to drive him; he had to get relief. He entered the cave or shel-

tered opening, and said, ‘Oh, Father, what can I do to have this

feeling removed? I must have it lifted or I cannot continue in this

work’; and he heard a voice, as distinct as the tone I am now

uttering, say, ‘Testify that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God.’

Remembering then what he tacitly had decided six weeks or

more before, and becoming overwhelmed with the thought, the

whole thing came to him in a realization that he was there for a

special mission, and he had not given that special mission the

attention it deserved. Then he cried in his heart, ‘Lord, it is

enough,’ and went out from the cave.”

President McKay recalled, “As a boy, I sat and heard that testi-

mony from one whom I treasured and honored as you know I

treasured no other man in the world, and that assurance was

instilled in my youthful soul.” 3


Joseph Smith’s First Vision revealed glorious truths about God the Father and Jesus Christ.

So far-reaching and significant were the wonderful discoveries

and inventions of the latter half of [the nineteenth] century that

they overwhelm us. . . . But none of them has answered man’s

greatest need and man’s most yearning desire. Not one has yet

revealed that for which man has sought for ages. That need—

that ever-present yearning in man’s heart—is to know God, and

man’s relation to him. . . . Only one event of the nineteenth cen-

tury claims to give to the human soul this answer. If in that event

man finds the truth for which the human race has ever sought,

C H A P T E R 1 0

93

then it truly merits the distinguishing tribute of the greatest

event of the nineteenth century!

That event was the appearing of two heavenly Beings to the

boy Prophet Joseph Smith, revealing the personal identity respec-

tively of God the Eternal Father and of his Son Jesus Christ.4

Eighteen hundred years after Jesus died upon the cross, the

Prophet Joseph Smith declared that the risen Lord appeared to

him. [He said]: “. . . I saw two Personages, whose brightness and

glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of

them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to

the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” [Joseph Smith—

History 1:17.]5

His declaration was simple but positive; and he was surprised

when men doubted its truth. To him his claim was but the state-

ment of a simple fact; to the Christian world it proved to be a

lightning flash that, striking, weakened their religious structure

from turret to foundation.

Two important elements in his first message were these: first,

that God is a personal Being, who communicates his will to man;

and second, that no creed in Christendom had the true plan of

salvation.6

The appearing of the Father and the Son to Joseph Smith is

the foundation of this Church. Therein lies the secret of its

strength and vitality. This is true, and I bear witness to it. That

one revelation answers all the queries of science regarding God

and his divine personality. Don’t you see what that means? What

God is, is answered. His relation to his children is clear. His

interest in humanity through authority delegated to man is

apparent. The future of the work is assured. These and other

glorious truths are clarified by that glorious first vision.7

The world still does not comprehend its significance; but as a

contributive factor to man’s knowledge of his relationship to

Deity and of his place in the universe; as a means of establishing

proper relationships between men as individuals and groups of

men as nations; as a revelation pointing the way to man’s hap-

piness and peace on earth as well as in the eternities to come,

C H A P T E R 1 0

94

the appearing of the Father and the Son to Joseph Smith and the

subsequent restoration of the priesthood and the establishing of

the Church of Jesus Christ in its fulness, will yet be recognized

not only as the greatest event of the nineteenth century, but as

one of the greatest of all ages.8

The Lord restored gospel truths through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

It is of Joseph Smith not only as a great man, but as an

inspired servant of the Lord that I desire to speak. . . . Indeed,

Joseph Smith’s greatness consists in divine inspiration. . . .

Nobody can study critically and intelligently the restored

gospel of Jesus Christ without being deeply impressed with the

harmony of the teachings with those given by the Lord and

Savior Himself when He was on the earth with His disciples.

Consider, for example, the Prophet’s revelation concerning the

Creator—God as an intelligent Being, one who is, as Jesus

taught, “Our Father in heaven.” [See Matthew 6:9.] . . .

Joseph Smith’s doctrine that Jesus Christ is the only Begotten

of the Father, the Savior of the world, is identical with the teach-

ings of Jesus Himself and His apostles.

So also is his doctrine of the persistence of personality after

death. . . .

The same harmony is found in the teachings of other

principles of the gospel such as faith, repentance, baptism, laying

on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, ordination to the priest-

hood, his teachings on “knowledge, temperance, godliness, broth-

erly kindness, charity,” etc. [See 2 Peter 1:5–7; D&C 4:6.] . . .

. . . The advocates of infant baptism taught regarding little chil-

dren: “Infants who come into the world are not only destitute of

knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, but have a natural incli-

nation to evil and only evil.”

. . . Boldly and fearlessly, and speaking as one having assur-

ance that he is right, the Prophet Joseph said: “Little children are

holy and are sanctified through the atonement of Jesus Christ.”

[See D&C 74:7.]9

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95

Divine inspiration is manifest . . . in [Joseph Smith’s] glorious

announcement of the eternal nature of covenants and cere-

monies and the opportunity of salvation for every human being.

The Church is not exclusive but all inclusive to every soul who

will accept its principles. . . . All mankind shall be saved by obe-

dience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. Even they who

died without law shall be judged without law. To this end is the

ordinance of salvation for the dead revealed.

The eternity of the marriage covenant is a glorious revelation,

giving assurance to hearts bound by the golden clasp of love

and sealed by authority of the holy Priesthood that their union

is eternal.

Other covenants also continue with eternal progress through-

out the ages of eternity.

Joseph Smith could not have accomplished all this of his own

wisdom, intellect, and influence. He could not have done it.10

The Lord has revealed in this day the Plan of Salvation, which

is nothing more or less than the way to the spiritual realm by

building character worthy of entrance into his kingdom. The

Plan is the gospel of Jesus Christ as restored to the Prophet

Joseph Smith, and it is ideal and comprehensive.11

The restored Church of Jesus Christ is evidence of the Prophet Joseph’s divine inspiration.

About 1820, religious excitement led Joseph Smith to seek the

right church, the proper mode of worship, the right way to live.

The desire to know impelled the youth to seek the Lord in

earnest prayer. One result of the answer to his prayer was the

organization of the Church in Peter Whitmer’s home on . . . April

6, 1830. In that organization may be found the comprehension

of the whole plan of man’s salvation.

Now I wish to consider that organization as one evidence of

his inspiration. . . . [It] has survived financial panics, social

upheavals, and religious turmoil; and today stands as a means of

supplying the highest needs of mankind. . . .

“The result of [Joseph Smith’s] divine guidance was an assurance of the

righteousness of what he taught and a fearlessness in proclaiming it.”

96

C H A P T E R 1 0

. . . “The Church of Jesus Christ was organized in accordance

with the order of the Church as recorded in the New Testament,”

said Joseph Smith [see History of the Church, 1:79]. The

practical and beneficent workings of this organization prove its

divine authenticity.12

Many years ago Joseph Smith, a mere boy between fourteen

and fifteen years of age, declared that, in answer to prayer, he

received a revelation from God. . . . The result of this declaration

was his immediate ostracism from the religious world. In a very

short time he found himself standing alone.

C H A P T E R 1 0

97

Alone—and unacquainted with the learning and philosophy

of his day!

Alone—and unschooled in the arts and sciences!

Alone—with no philosopher to instruct him, no minister to

guide him! In simplicity and kindness he had hastened to them

with his glorious message; in scorn and derision they had turned

from him saying it was all of the devil; that there were no such

things as visions or revelations in these days; that all such things

had ceased with the Apostles; and that there would never be any

more of them [see Joseph Smith—History 1:21].

Thus he was left alone to embark upon the ocean of religious

thought, having rejected every known vessel with which to sail

and never having built one or even having seen one built him-

self. Surely if an impostor, the bark [or ship] he could build

would be indeed a crude one.

On the other hand, if that which he built possesses an excel-

lence and superiority over that which the learned professors and

philosophers had given to the world during the preceding hun-

dreds of years, men will be forced, at least, to say in surprise,

whence hath this man his wisdom!

It would appear, then, that though he seemed alone, he was

alone only as was Moses on Sinai; as Jesus on the Mount of

Olives. As with the Master, so with the prophet, his instructions

came not through man-made channels but direct from God, the

source of all intelligence. He says: “I am a rough stone. The

sound of the hammer and chisel were never heard on me until

the Lord took me in hand. I desire the learning and wisdom of

heaven alone.” [History of the Church, 5:423.] . . .

His claim to revelation from God, if established, leaves no

doubt as to his authority to organize the Church of Jesus Christ

upon earth, and to administer authoritatively the principles and

ordinances thereof. Thus at the very inception of this great

latter-day work was laid the immovable cornerstone of Christ’s

Church in this dispensation, [namely], the authority to officiate

in the name of Jesus Christ in things pertaining to his Church.13

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98

As we consider [Joseph Smith’s] outstanding accomplish-

ments during the brief span of fourteen years between the

organization of the Church and his martyrdom; as we contem-

plate the perfect harmony of the restored gospel with that of the

primitive church established by Jesus and His apostles; as we

note his penetrating insight into principles and ordinances; and

as we see the incomparable plan and efficiency of the Church

established by the inspiration of the Christ whose name it

bears—the answer to the question, whence this man’s wisdom?

is given in the stirring stanza:

Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!

Jesus anointed “that Prophet and Seer”—

Blessed to open the last dispensation;

Kings shall extol him and nations revere.

[See Hymns, no. 27]14

The Prophet Joseph lived and died in defense of the truths revealed to him.

Great men have the ability to see clearly into the heart of

things. They discern truth. They think independently. They act

nobly. They influence strong men to follow them. Small men

sneer at them, ridicule them, persecute them, but the critics die

and are forgotten, and the great man lives on forever.

Some of Joseph Smith’s contemporaries sneered at him; oth-

ers admired him; his followers revered him. . . .

No one unbiased in his judgment can study the life of this reli-

gious leader without being impressed with the fact that he pos-

sessed in a rich degree the qualities of true greatness, the source

of which is found in a desire to know God’s will, and in a deter-

mination, when it is found, to follow it.15

Throughout all ages truth has been first perceived by a few

heroic leaders who, in defense of it, frequently sacrificed their

lives. To the clear perception and the courage of these intrepid

leaders of men is due the progress of mankind. At some time or

other, they have had to make a choice whether to deny, modify,

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99

or defend truth—a choice between personal ease and prefer-

ment, or ostracism, punishment, or even death. Such a choice

came to Peter and John as they stood prisoners before Annas, the

high priest. It took real courage from them to bear witness of

Christ in the presence of the very men who had condemned him

to death. [See Acts 4.]

It took courage for Paul, a chained prisoner before King

Agrippa and his royal company, to bear witness that Christ did

suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the

dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the gen-

tiles. [See Acts 26.]

It took courage for Joseph Smith to testify to an unbelieving

and bitter world the truth that God and his Beloved Son had

appeared in vision to him.16

All men who have moved the world have been men who will

stand true to their conscience—such men as Peter, James, and

Paul, and their brethren of the ancient apostles, and also others.

When the religious leaders of Palmyra, New York, turned against

the youthful Joseph Smith for what he had seen and heard in the

Sacred Grove, he said, having a testimony of the Lord Jesus in his

bosom: “I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew

it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it. . . .” [Joseph

Smith—History 1:25.]

Joseph Smith was true to his testimony to the last.17

The result of [Joseph Smith’s] divine guidance was an assur-

ance of the righteousness of what he taught and a fearlessness in

proclaiming it. When Joseph Smith taught a doctrine, he taught it

authoritatively. His was not the question whether it agreed with

man’s thoughts or not, whether it was in harmony with the teach-

ings of the orthodox churches or whether it was in direct opposi-

tion. What was given to him he gave to the world irrespective of

its agreement or disagreement, of its harmony or its discord with

the belief of the churches, or the prevailing standards of mankind;

and today, as we look through the vista of over one hundred years,

we have a good opportunity of judging of the virtue of his teach-

ings, and of concluding as to the source of his instruction. . . .

C H A P T E R 1 0

100

Not only did he receive guidance and instruction from the divine

Head, but, once received, defended it with invincible resolution.18

Through railings, scoffings, mobbings, arrests, imprison-

ments, persecutions that led to martyrdom, Joseph Smith as

Peter and Paul before him, ever strove to the utmost of his abil-

ity to follow the light that had made him a “partaker of the divine

nature.” [See 2 Peter 1:4.]19

The best blood of this country was shed in innocence. [The

Prophet Joseph] knew he was innocent. He knew his rights. So

did his brother Hyrum, John Taylor and Willard Richards who

were there with him. But because of lies, black and damnable,

the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum were martyred.

. . . In the midst of it all what was the Prophet’s attitude? A

calm, Christ-like attitude. Said he, when he was going to

Carthage that evening:

“I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am calm as a

summer’s morning. I have a conscience void of offense toward

God and all men. If they take my life I shall die an innocent man,

and it will yet be said of me, he was murdered in cold blood.”

[See D&C 135:4.]20

The lives of the Prophet, of his brother, Hyrum, the patriarch,

and of hundreds of thousands of others who accepted the truth

of [the First Vision] bear evidence that the plan of salvation, as it

is purported Jesus Christ revealed it, most assuredly leads

toward Christlike character. So real was the revelation to the

Prophet and his brother, Hyrum, that they unflinchingly sealed

their testimony with their blood.21


• President McKay related an experience his father had on his

mission concerning the need to testify of Joseph Smith (see

pages 91–92). Why is the answer his father received significant

for us today?

• Why was it necessary for the Lord to call a prophet in the

latter days? (See pages 92–94.) Why is a testimony of Joseph

Smith an essential part of a testimony of the gospel? In what

C H A P T E R 1 0

101

way is the appearance of the Father and the Son to Joseph

Smith the “foundation of this Church”?

• What are some truths that were revealed through the First

Vision? (See pages 92–94.) In what ways has your knowledge

of the First Vision influenced your testimony of Heavenly

Father and Jesus Christ?

• What are some other doctrines that the Lord revealed through

the Prophet Joseph Smith? (See pages 94–95.) How have you

been blessed as you have studied and applied these doctrines?

• In what ways are the Church and its teachings a testament that

Joseph Smith was a prophet of God? (See pages 95–98.)

• What are some Christlike attributes shown by the Prophet

Joseph Smith? (See pages 98–100.) What can you do to follow

his example?

• What responsibilities do we have when we have a testimony of

Joseph Smith and the restoration of the gospel?

Related Scriptures: Amos 3:7; 2 Nephi 3:6–15; D&C 135; Joseph

Smith—History 1:1–75

Notes

1. Cherished Experiences from theWritings of President David O. McKay,comp. Clare Middlemiss, rev. ed.(1976), 16.


3. Cherished Experiences, 11–12.

4. Gospel Ideals, 79–80; paragraphingaltered.





9. “The Prophet Joseph Smith—OnDoctrine and Organization,”Improvement Era, Jan. 1945, 14–15;paragraphing altered.

10. “Joseph Smith—Prophet, Seer, andRevelator,” Improvement Era, Jan.1942, 55.


12. Improvement Era, Jan. 1942, 13, 54.


14. Improvement Era, Jan. 1945, 47.

15. Pathways to Happiness, comp.Llewelyn R. McKay (1957), 284–85.

16. Treasures of Life, 376–77.






102

Through his teachings and his example, President McKay demonstrated

the blessings of living the Word of Wisdom.

C H A P T E R 1 1

Living the Word of Wisdom

The Word of Wisdom is a vital part of the gospel, which is “the power of God unto salvation”—physical

salvation as well as spiritual salvation.1

Introduction

President McKay taught and testified that the Word of Wisdom

was a commandment given by the Lord to bless us both physi-

cally and spiritually. In his teachings as well as his actions, he

strictly obeyed this commandment. During a visit with the queen

of the Netherlands in 1952, President and Sister McKay had an

interesting experience. The queen had scheduled 30 minutes for

a visit with them. President McKay carefully watched the time,

and when the half hour was up, he politely thanked the queen

and began to leave. “Mr. McKay,” she said, “sit down! I have

enjoyed this thirty minutes more than I have enjoyed any thirty

minutes in a long time. I just wish you would extend our visit a

little longer.” He sat down again. Then a coffee table was

brought in, and the queen poured three cups of tea, giving one

to President McKay, one to Sister McKay, and keeping one for

herself. When the queen noticed that neither of her guests drank

the tea, she asked, “Won’t you have a little tea with the Queen?”

President McKay explained, “I must tell you that our people do

not believe in drinking stimulants, and we think tea is a stimu-

lant.” She said, “I am the Queen of the Netherlands. Do you

mean to tell me you won’t have a little drink of tea, even with the

Queen of the Netherlands?” President McKay responded, “Would

the Queen of the Netherlands ask the leader of a million, three

hundred thousand people to do something that he teaches his

people not to do?” “You are a great man, President McKay,” she

said. “I wouldn’t ask you to do that.” 2

103

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104


The Word of Wisdom is a clear commandment given by revelation from the Lord.

On the 27th of February, 1833, the Prophet Joseph Smith

received the revelation recorded in the 89th section of the

Doctrine and Covenants. . . . I want to read a few [verses] from

that section:

“Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, in consequence

of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of con-

spiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn

you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation.

“That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink

among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of

your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up

your sacraments before him.

“And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape

of the vine, of your own make.” [D&C 89:4–6.] . . .

The particular sentence that I wish to call attention to is this:

“Inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink . . . behold

it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father.” That is the

word of God to the people of this generation. It stands with just

as much force as the words of the Savior, “If any man will do His

will he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or

whether I speak of myself.” [John 7:17.] Latter-day Saints, you

know this statement of the Savior’s is true; we testify that if any

man will do the will of God he will get the testimony, in his heart

and in his life, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. We accept

the words of the Savior, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise per-

ish.” [Luke 13:3.] Those eternal truths, so tersely expressed, we

accept as true. We may not live up to them wholly, but as a people

we accept them, because they are the word of God. Just so strong,

just so eternal stands this truth . . . , “Strong drink is not good for

man.” [See D&C 89:7.] Yet [many years] have passed, and during

that time this doctrine has been preached every week, if not every

day, in some congregation of Israel, and still we find in our midst

a few who say, by their acts, it is good for man.

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105

I am glad when I study this passage, to find that the Lord did

not say, “Strong drink to excess is not good;” nor “Drunkenness

is not good.” Suppose He had weakened that expression by

modifying it and saying, “Strong drink in excess, or when taken

in large quantities, is not good,” how soon we should have jus-

tified ourselves that a little drink is good. But like other eternal

truths it stands unqualified; strong drink is not good.3

I think tobacco is a vice which should be shunned as the bite

of a rattlesnake. . . . The Lord has said that tobacco is not good

for man. That should be sufficient for Latter-day Saints.4

Members of the Church who have formed either the tobacco

habit or the tea and coffee habit, or both, are prone to seek jus-

tification for their indulgences in things which the Lord has said

plainly are not good for man. Whenever they try to do so, they

only parade the weakness of their faith in the Lord’s words,

which were given as admonition and “wisdom,” and obedience

to which will bring blessing as certain and sure as if he had said,

“Thou shalt not.” 5

Disobeying the Word of Wisdom brings harmful physical and spiritual consequences.

There is a substance in tea and coffee which when taken into

the human system, tends to increase the beating of the heart;

which in turn increases the rapidity of the circulation of the blood

and of breathing. This causes the body to become warmer and

more exhilarated. After a time, however, this temporary enliven-

ment passes off, and the body is really in a greater need of rest

and recuperation than it was before the beverage was taken.

Stimulants are to the body what the lash is to the lagging horse—

it causes a spurt forward but gives no permanent strength or nat-

ural nourishment. Frequently repetitions of the lash only make

the horse more lazy; and the habitual use of strong drink,

tobacco, tea, and coffee, only tends to make the body weaker and

more dependent upon the stimulants to which it is addicted.

The Lord has said in unmistakable words that these things are

not good for man. Science declares the same. God’s word alone

should be sufficient for every true Latter-day Saint.6

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106

A person’s reaction to his appetites and impulses when they

are aroused gives the measure of that person’s character. In such

reactions are revealed the man’s power to govern, or his forced

servility to yield. That phase of the Word of Wisdom, therefore,

which refers to intoxicants, drugs, and stimulants, goes deeper

than the ill effects upon the body, and strikes at the very root of

character building itself. . . .

During the last one hundred years, the marvelous advance of

science has made it possible for man to determine by experi-

ments the ill effect of intoxicants and drugs upon the nerves and

tissues of the human body. Observation and experiment have

demonstrated their effects upon character. All such experiments

and observations have proved the truth of the . . . statement:

“Strong drinks and tobacco are not good for man.” 7

As I recall the influences upon my young life, I believe the

greatest was the memorizing of that important saying: “My spirit

will not dwell in an unclean tabernacle.”

Then there were . . . others, and they were all in the form of

warnings. The first came to me as a boy as I sat on a spring seat

by the side of my father as we drove into Ogden. Just before we

crossed the bridge across the Ogden River, a man came out from

a saloon, which was just on the northern bank of the river. I rec-

ognized him. I liked him because I had seen him on the local

stage. But on that occasion he was under the influence of liquor,

and had been for, I suppose, several days.

I did not know . . . he drank, but as he broke down and cried

and asked father for fifty cents to go back into the saloon, I saw

him stagger away. As we drove across the bridge my father said:

“David, he and I used to go [home] teaching together.”

That was all he said, but it was a warning to me that I have never

forgotten, about the effect of dissipation [or excessive drinking].

A little later, a teacher [assigned] us to read a story about a

group of young people sailing down the St. Lawrence River. . . .

I cannot give you the author, I cannot give you the title, but I can

give you the memory that has stayed with me, about those young

folks who were drinking and carousing and having a good time

in the boat sailing down that noted river. But a man on the

C H A P T E R 1 1

107

shore, recognizing, realizing the dangers ahead of them, cried:

“Hello, there, the rapids are below you.”

But they ignored his warning, defied him. “We are all right,”

and continued in their jocularity [or joking] and their indul-

gences. And again he cried out: “The rapids are below you,” and

again they gave no heed to his warning.

Suddenly they found themselves in the rapids. Then they

immediately began to row for the shore, but it was too late. I do

not remember but just the words of the last paragraph, but curs-

ing, yelling, over the rapids, over the falls they went.

Negative? Yes. But I will tell you there are many in the stream of

life who are rowing just that way. I have never forgotten that story.8

We must be watchful against the “evils and designs of conspiring men.”

One of the most significant statements in the Doctrine and

Covenants, one which carries with it evidence of the inspiration

of the Prophet Joseph Smith, is found in the 89th Section . . . :

“In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist

in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned

you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom

by revelation . . . ” (D&C 89:4.)

“Evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of con-

spiring men. . . .” The purport of that impressed me in the twen-

ties, and the thirties of [the 20th] century. I just ask you . . . to

recall the methods employed by certain tobacco interests to

induce women to smoke cigarettes.

You remember how insidiously they launched their plan. First,

by saying that it would reduce weight. They had a slogan: “Take

a cigarette instead of a sweet.”

Later, some of us who like the theatre, noticed that they would

have a young lady light the gentleman’s cigarette. Following this

a woman’s hand would be shown on billboards lighting or tak-

ing a cigarette. A year or two passed and soon they were brazen

enough to show the lady on the screen or on the billboard smok-

ing the cigarette. . . .

C H A P T E R 1 1

108

I may be wrong, but I thought I saw an indication recently that

conspiring men now have evil designs upon our youth. Keep

your eyes and ears open.9

Members have a duty to themselves and the Church to live and teach the Word of Wisdom.

Every man, every woman, must bear a part of the responsibil-

ity of this Church. . . . No matter where we are, . . . wherever cir-

cumstances or business affairs may call us, be it in the canyon or

elsewhere, and we are tempted, on a cold morning, to break the

Word of Wisdom by drinking two or three cups of tea or coffee,

let us feel then the responsibility of right.

Let each one say to himself, “The responsibility of member-

ship in the Church is upon me; I will not yield. What though

nobody sees me, I know and God knows when I yield, and every

time I yield to a weakness I become weaker myself and do not

respect myself.” If you are in business, and your companions say,

“Come, let us go in and have a drink on this bargain, or this

sale,” let your answer be, No, no! What though your thirsty

appetite makes you long for it, be men, be Latter-day Saints, and

say, “No; the responsibility of membership in the Church rests

upon me.” 10

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands com-

mitted unequivocally to the doctrine that tea, coffee, tobacco,

and intoxicants are not good for man. True Latter-day Saints

refrain from indulgence in tobacco and drink, either of stimu-

lants or of intoxicants, and by example and precept, teach oth-

ers to do the same.11

Living the Word of Wisdom strengthens character and brings happiness.

The Church urges men to have self-mastery to control their

appetites, their tempers, and their speech. A man is not at his

best when he is a slave to some habit. A man is not his best who

lives merely to gratify his passions. That is one reason why the

Lord has given the Church the revelation of the Word of Wisdom

so that, even from boyhood and girlhood, young men and young

President McKay encouraged Latter-day Saints to teach their children and

others the Word of Wisdom “by example and precept.”

women may learn to control themselves. That is not always easy.

The youth today face enemies—false ideologies and immoral

practices. . . . Sound preparation is necessary to meet and con-

quer these enemies.12

Every young man throughout Zion, when he comes forth from

the waters of baptism, ought to know that it is part of his duty to

resist smoking a cigarette, no matter where he may be. Every

young person in the Church should be taught, when coming from

the waters of baptism, that he should resist intoxicants when

passed around at the social gathering. Every young member of this

Church should know that tobacco in any form should not be used.

He or she should resist all these habits, not only for the blessing

that is promised herein by our Father, but also because of the

strength so acquired to resist greater temptations.13

109

C H A P T E R 1 1

C H A P T E R 1 1

110

One of the most practical teachings of the Church regarding

[self-control] is the Word of Wisdom. It is true. It deals princi-

pally with the appetite. You show me a man who has complete

control over his appetite, who can resist all temptations to

indulge in stimulants, liquor, tobacco, marijuana, and other

vicious drugs, and I will show you a youth or man who has like-

wise developed power to control his passions and desires.14

Neither the Church nor the world at large can hear too much

about the Word of Wisdom. It is a doctrine given to man for

man’s happiness and benefit. It is part of the philosophy of liv-

ing. . . . He who fails to live it robs himself of strength of body

and strength of character to which he is entitled. Truth is loyalty

to the right as we see it; it is courageous living of our lives in har-

mony with our ideals; it is always power.15


• In what ways was the Word of Wisdom far ahead of its time?

• Why do people sometimes try to justify using the substances

prohibited in the Word of Wisdom? What are some dangers in

this type of thinking? (See pages 105–7.)

• Why is it important to take care of our bodies? What are some

of the negative physical effects of disobeying the Word of

Wisdom? (See pages 105–7.) How does disobeying this com-

mandment affect us spiritually? (See pages 105–7.)

• President McKay spoke of tobacco advertising tactics used in

the 1930s (see pages 107–8). What examples do we see today

of “evil and conspiring men” promoting the use of harmful

substances? How can we help youth recognize the benefits of

obeying the Word of Wisdom?

• How is the Word of Wisdom both a physical and a spiritual

commandment? (See pages 105–7, 109–10.) What blessings

are promised to those who obey this commandment? (See

D&C 89:18–21.) What are the most important blessings you or

your family have received from obeying the Word of Wisdom?

• What can we do to increase our strength to resist temptations

to break the Word of Wisdom? How does obeying the Word of

C H A P T E R 1 1

111

Wisdom help protect and strengthen character? (See pages

109–10.)

• What harmful and addictive substances are available today

that are not specifically mentioned in D&C 89? How can the

teachings in D&C 89 and the words of latter-day prophets

help guide and strengthen us against these substances?

Related Scriptures: Daniel 1:3–20; 1 Corinthians 3:16–17; D&C

89:1–21

Notes


2. See Carl W. Buehner, People of Faith,Brigham Young University Speeches ofthe Year (14 Jan. 1953), 2.








10. In Conference Report, Oct. 1906,115; paragraphing altered.






112

President McKay often encouraged priesthood bearers to live the motto he had seen

chiseled on a stone in Scotland: “What-E’er Thou Art Act Well Thy Part.”

C H A P T E R 1 2

Priesthood, the Responsibilityto Represent God

The priesthood is an everlasting principle that has existed with God from the beginning and

will exist throughout all eternity. The keys that have been given to be used through the priesthood

come from heaven, and this priesthood power is operative in this Church today as it continues

to expand in the earth.1

Introduction

While addressing a priesthood session of general conference,

President McKay told of an experience he had while serving as a

missionary in Scotland in 1898. He and his companion, Elder

Peter Johnston, walked by a building that caught their attention

because it had a stone arch over the front door and an inscrip-

tion chiseled in the arch. President McKay recalled:

“I said to my companion: ‘That’s unusual! I am going to see

what the inscription is.’ When I approached near enough, this

message came to me, not only in stone, but as if it came from

One in whose service we were engaged:

“ ‘Whate’er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part.’ . . .

“God help us to follow that motto. It is just another expres-

sion of Christ’s words: ‘He that will do the will of God shall

know of the doctrine, whether the work is of God, or whether I

speak of myself,’ [see John 7:17] and that testimony leads us all

to the guidance of the Holy Spirit in life. I humbly pray that the

Priesthood assembled this night . . . will take upon themselves

the responsibilities which God has placed upon them, and do

their duty wherever it may be.”2

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President McKay had been blessed in his life when several

priesthood holders righteously exercised priesthood power in

his behalf. In March 1916, the Ogden River overflowed and

caused the bridge near the mouth of the canyon to become

unstable. He recounted: “We [he and his brother Thomas E.]

jumped into a little Ford car and dashed through the rain and

mud. . . . I saw the pile of rocks there at the bridge, and it

seemed to be intact just as it had been the day before. So [jok-

ingly] I said, ‘I’m going across the bridge. Can you swim?’ With

that I stepped on the gas and dashed across the bridge, only to

hear Thomas E. say, ‘Oh, look out! There’s a rope!’ The watch-

man who left at seven o’clock had stretched the derrick rope

across the road, and his successor, the day watchman, had not

arrived. I reached for the emergency brake but was too late. The

rope smashed the window, threw back the top, and caught me in

the chin, severing my lip, knocking out my lower teeth, and

breaking my upper jaw. Thomas E. ducked his head and escaped

uninjured, but I was left partially senseless. . . .

“About nine o’clock that morning I was on the operating table.

. . . They sewed my upper jaw in place and took fourteen stitches

in my lower lip and lacerated cheek. One of the attendants

remarked, ‘Too bad; he will be disfigured for life.’ Certainly I was

most unrecognizable. When I was wheeled back to my room in the

hospital, one of the nurses consolingly remarked, ‘Well, Brother

McKay, you can wear a beard,’ meaning that thus I might hide my

scars. . . . Three very close friends . . . called and administered to

me. In sealing the anointing, [one of them] said, ‘We bless you that

you shall not be disfigured and that you shall not have pain.’ . . .

“Saturday evening Dr. William H. Petty called to see if the teeth

that were still remaining in the upper jaw might be saved. It was

he who said, ‘I suppose you are in great pain.’ I answered, ‘No,

I haven’t any pain.’ . . . Sunday morning President Heber J.

Grant came up from Salt Lake City. . . . He entered and said,

‘David, don’t talk; I’m just going to give you a blessing.’ . . .

“The following October, . . . I sat at a table near where

President Grant was sitting. I noticed that he was looking at me

somewhat intently, and then he said, ‘David, from where I am

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115

sitting I cannot see a scar on your face!’ I answered, ‘No,

President Grant, there are no scars.’ ” 3


The priesthood is the power and authority to represent God.

Whenever the priesthood is delegated to man, it is conferred

upon him not as a personal distinction, although it becomes

such as he honors it, but as authority to represent Deity and an

obligation to assist the Lord in bringing to pass the immortality

and eternal life of man [see Moses 1:39].4

You are men who hold the priesthood of God, who hold

divine authority to represent Deity in whatever position to which

you have been assigned. When a man, an ordinary man is set

apart in his community as a sheriff, there is something added to

him. When a policeman on these streets, at the crossing, holds

up his hand, you stop. There is something more about him than

just an individual, there is the power that is given him. And so it

is throughout life. No man can be given a position without being

enhanced. It is a reality. So, too, is the power of the priesthood.5

Priesthood is inherent in the Godhead. It is authority and

power which has its source only in the Eternal Father and his

Son Jesus Christ. . . .

In seeking the source of the priesthood, . . . we can conceive

of no condition beyond God himself. In him it centers. From him

it must emanate. Priesthood, being thus inherent in the Father,

it follows that he alone can give it to another. Priesthood, there-

fore, as held by man, must ever be delegated by authority. There

never has been a human being in the world who had the right to

[take] to himself the power and authority of the priesthood.

There have been some who would [take] to themselves that

right, but the Lord has never recognized it. As an ambassador

from any government exercises only that authority which has

been given him by his government, so a man who is authorized

to represent Deity does so only by virtue of the powers and

rights delegated to him. However, when such authority is given,

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116

it carries, within limitations, all the privileges of a power of attor-

ney, by which one is empowered by another to act in another’s

stead. All official action performed in accordance with such

power of attorney is as binding as if the person himself had per-

formed it. . . .

Recognizing the fact that the Creator is the eternal and ever-

lasting source of this power, that he alone can direct it, and that

to possess it is to have the right, as an authorized representative,

of direct communion with God, how reasonable yet sublime are

the privileges and blessings made possible of attainment

through the possession of the power and authority of the

Melchizedek Priesthood—they are the most glorious that the

human mind can contemplate.

A man who is thus in communion with his God will find his

life sweetened, his discernment sharpened to decide quickly

between right and wrong, his feelings tender and compassion-

ate, yet his spirit strong and valiant in defense of right; he will

find the priesthood a never failing source of happiness—a well

of living water springing up unto eternal life.6

Priesthood power finds expression through quorums as well as individuals.

Strictly speaking, priesthood as delegated power is an indi-

vidual acquirement. However, by divine decree men who are

appointed to serve in particular offices in the priesthood unite

in quorums. Thus, this power finds expression through groups

as well as in individuals. The quorum is the opportunity for men

of like aspirations to know, to love, and to aid one another.7

If priesthood meant only personal honor, blessing, or individ-

ual elevation, there would be no need of groups or quorums.

The very existence of such groups established by divine authori-

zation proclaims our dependence upon one another, the indis-

pensable need of mutual help and assistance. We are, by divine

right, social beings.8

[The Lord] realized that these [priesthood holders] need com-

panionship, fellowship, the strength of the group; and so he

C H A P T E R 1 2

“Men who are appointed to serve in particular offices

in the priesthood unite in quorums.”

organized quorums and designated the number in each from the

deacon to the seventy.

These groups meet together, first, to instruct and to edify, to

improve in knowledge generally, and particularly to instruct in

moral and religious knowledge, in faith, in holiness, but also to

obtain mutual strength, to act uprightly. These groups supply a

need that is felt among mankind generally. . . . Priesthood quo-

rums . . . will supply every yearning for fellowship, fraternity, and

service if men will but do their duty.9

Members in the Aaronic priesthood, and members of the quo-

rums in the Melchizedek priesthood, we have a duty to build up

our quorums; let us not tear them down by being absent from

[priesthood] meeting, or by non-preparation, or by negligence

of duty. Let us feel, every one of us, . . . that it is our duty to do

something to build up the Church, as the Church’s duty is to

build on truth and redeem mankind from sin. Men of the priest-

hood, let us be one in this upbuilding; let us fall into the class of

benefactors; and let no man, from the high priest to the deacon,

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118

in this great priesthood movement . . . , fall into the class of

malefactors [evil doers] or murmurers.10

A priesthood holder must be conscious of his actions and words under all conditions.

Priesthood is authority to represent God. A man who is given

the priesthood is an authorized representative of the Lord in any

particular field to which the individual is assigned. It is the duty

of a representative of any individual group or organization to

strive to represent that individual group or organization in honor.

The best way to be worthy representatives is so to live that each

may be susceptible to the promptings of the Lord whom he rep-

resents. Now think what that means as to a virtuous life.

“. . . my Spirit shall not always strive with man,” (D&C 1:33) says

the Lord. Everyone, then, who holds this priesthood should live

such a life as will entitle him to the inspiration of the Lord. And let

me say in this regard that communion with the Holy Spirit is just

as real as your connection through the radio with the unheard

voices and music that fill the air. The vibrations are there.

It is so with God’s Spirit. He is ever ready to guide and instruct

those who tune in by upright living and who sincerely seek him.

I repeat, it is the duty of every man authorized to represent him

so to live as to be responsive to that Spirit.11

To hold the priesthood of God by divine authority is one of the

greatest gifts that can come to a man, and worthiness is of first

importance. The very essence of priesthood is eternal. He is greatly

blessed who feels the responsibility of representing Deity. He

should feel it to such an extent that he would be conscious of his

actions and words under all conditions. No man who holds the

Holy Priesthood should treat his wife disrespectfully. No man who

holds that priesthood should fail to ask the blessings on his food

or to kneel with his wife and children and ask for God’s guidance.

A home is transformed because a man holds and honors the

priesthood. We are not to use it dictatorially, for the Lord has said

that “when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride,

our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compul-

sion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of

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unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the

Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the

priesthood or the authority of that man.” (D&C 121:37.)

That revelation, given by the Lord to the Prophet Joseph Smith,

is one of the most beautiful lessons in pedagogy or psychology

and government ever given, and we should read it over and over

again in the 121st section of the Doctrine and Covenants.12

No member of this Church, no husband or father, has the

right to utter an oath in his home, or ever to express a cross

word to his wife or to his children. By your ordination and your

responsibility, you cannot do it as a man who holds the priest-

hood and be true to the spirit within you. You contribute to an

ideal home by your character, controlling your passion, your

temper, guarding your speech, because those things will make

your home what it is, and what it will radiate to the neighbor-

hood. You do what you can to produce peace and harmony, no

matter what you may suffer.13

I pray that we may . . . sense the value of the priesthood, and

that every deacon in this Church will realize that when he is

given the Aaronic Priesthood he is set apart among his fellows,

that he is different from others. He cannot with impunity swear

as other boys may swear, he cannot participate in pranks in the

neighborhood as other boys may participate, he stands apart.

That is what it means to a twelve-year-old boy, and, bishops, that

is just what you should explain to them when you choose them

to be deacons. Do not just call them up and ordain them, but

have a talk with them and let them realize what it means to be

given the Aaronic Priesthood. In the boyhood area these boys so

chosen and instructed should exert an influence for good. . . .

. . . It is our obligation when we accept the priesthood to set

an example worthy of imitation by our fellows. It is not what we

say that will influence them. It is what we do. It is what we are.14

As long as members of the priesthood merit the guidance of

Christ by honest and conscientious dealing with their fellow men,

by resisting evil in any of its forms, by the faithful performance of

duty, there is no opposing power in this world which can stay the

progress of the Church of Jesus Christ.15

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120

Priesthood power becomes productive when it is used to serve others.

We can conceive of the power of the priesthood as being

potentially existent as an impounded reservoir of water. Such

power becomes dynamic and productive of good only when the

liberated force becomes active in valleys, fields, gardens, and

happy homes. So the priesthood, as related to humanity, is a

principle of power only as it becomes active in the lives of men,

turning their hearts and desires toward God and prompting ser-

vice to their fellowmen.16

Our lives are wrapped up with the lives of others. We are hap-

piest as we contribute to the lives of others. I say that because the

priesthood you hold means that you are to serve others. You rep-

resent God in the field to which you are assigned. “Whosoever

will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matt. 16:25.)17

You elders perhaps have one of your number sick, and his

crop needs harvesting. Get together and harvest it. One of your

members has a son on a mission, and his funds are getting low.

Just ask if you can be of help to him. Your thoughtfulness he will

never forget. Such acts as these are what the Savior had in mind

when he said, “Inasmuch as ye do it unto the least of these my

brethren, ye do it unto me.” (See Matt. 25:40.) There is no other

way that you can serve Christ. You can kneel down and pray to

him, that is good. You can plead with him to give you his guid-

ance through the Holy Spirit—yes, we do that and must do it. We

have to do it. But it is these practical, daily visits in life, it is the

controlling of our tongue, in not speaking evil of a brother, but

speaking well of him, that the Savior marks as true service.18

“What e’er thou art, act well thy part.” Are you a deacon, do the

duties of a deacon well. Are you a teacher, do your work well. A

priest watching over the Church, visiting with them—young

men in this Church, if we could just do the duties of the teacher

and of the priest, teaching people their duty, what a power for

good to young men eighteen years of age, and nineteen. Not

incorrigible [unwilling to take correction], not recreants [disloyal

cowards], but leaders. Brethren there is nothing in the world so

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121

powerful in guiding youth as to have them act well their parts in

the priesthood.19

Priesthood holders have the responsibility to represent God as home teachers.

It is said in Ephesians, fourth chapter, that Christ gave some

apostles and some prophets, some evangelists and some pastors

and teachers; “for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the

ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” [Ephesians 4:12.]

The [home] teachers, in the Church, holding the holy priesthood,

have devolving upon them the great responsibility of perfecting

the Saints, and of edifying the body of Christ; therefore, I think it

is not too much to say that it is their duty, their duty, to carry into

every home just such a divine spirit as we have experienced here

in these sessions of conference. No greater responsibility can rest

upon any man, than to be a teacher of God’s children.

. . . Some of [the home teachers] feel that their calling is of little

importance, that there is not much dignity attached to it, when the

fact is, that there is no more important work in the Church. We can

not say of any one calling in the Church, that it is of more impor-

tance than another, because all are devoted to the development, to

the instruction, to the salvation of God’s children. So it is with the

calling of teacher; but if there be any preference given, because of

superior advantages in winning these people to salvation, it will go

to those men holding the priesthood of God, who come in direct

contact with the individual members of the Church. . . .

The first thing to do, my brethren, is to look to yourselves, to

see whether or not you are prepared to teach. No man can teach

that which he himself does not know. It is your duty to teach that

Jesus Christ is the redeemer of the world, that Joseph Smith was

a prophet of God, and that to him in this last dispensation there

appeared God the Father and his Son in person. Do you believe

it? Do you feel it? Does that testimony radiate from your being

when you enter into the home? If so, that radiation will give life

to the people whom you go to teach. If not, there will be a

dearth, a drouth [drought], a lack of that spiritual environment

in which the Saints grow. . . .

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122

. . . Brethren, the message, and particularly the manner of pre-

senting that message might not be the same when given to one

who had spent his life in faithful labor in the Church, as when

given to those who are newly converted. As each family is differ-

ent from another . . . , so our messages and our methods, par-

ticularly our methods of presentation, might vary. I cite this just

to impress us with this thought, that it is our duty to know those

whom we are going to teach.20

The [home] teacher’s duty is not performed when he goes

only once a month to each house. I remember when one Bishop

made it a duty of the [home] teacher to go at once to a house

bereaved of a loved one and see what could be done in order to

bring comfort to those who were grieving and to make arrange-

ments for the funeral. It is the [home] teacher’s duty to see that

there is no want; if there is sickness there, to go and adminis-

ter—watching over those families always.21

I believe that in [home] teaching there is one of the greatest

opportunities in all the world to awaken in those who are negli-

gent, discouraged, downhearted, and sad, renewed life and a

desire to re-enter into activity in the Church of Jesus Christ. By

such activity they will be led back into the spiritual atmosphere

which will lift their souls and give them power to overcome

weaknesses which are now shackling them.

To give help, encouragement, and inspiration to every individ-

ual is the great responsibility and privilege of [home] teachers.22


• What is priesthood power? (See pages 115–16.) For what pur-

poses did the Lord delegate to man the authority of the priest-

hood? (See pages 116–17, 120–21.) What is the difference

between simply receiving the authority of the priesthood and

having power in the priesthood?

• Think of an experience when the power of the priesthood was

exercised in your behalf. How did this affect you or the members

of your family? How can we use such experiences as “teaching

moments” for our children and grandchildren?

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123

• Why is it necessary that a priesthood holder live worthy to be

guided by the Spirit of the Lord? (See pages 118–19.) What

blessings are promised to those who are faithful to priesthood

covenants and obligations? (See also D&C 84:33–34.)

• Why is home teaching so vital in the Church? (See pages

121–22.) What can we do to be more effective home teachers?

How can President McKay’s counsel to home teachers be

applied to visiting teachers? What can we do to help our home

and visiting teachers feel welcome in our homes and be effec-

tive in their callings?

• How do praying, studying the scriptures, and becoming

more Christlike help us to honor the priesthood? In what

ways can fathers and mothers prepare their sons to receive

the priesthood?

• How do women share in the blessings that come from the

power of the priesthood?

• What is the purpose of priesthood quorums? (See pages

116–17.) What responsibilities are associated with being a

member of a quorum? (See pages 116–17.)

Related Scriptures: 1 Peter 2:9; D&C 84:33–48; 121:34–46

Notes



3. See Cherished Experiences from theWritings of President David O.McKay, comp. Clare Middlemiss, rev.ed. (1976), 138–40; paragraphingaltered.




















124

During his ministry, President McKay dedicated five temples around the world,

including the London England Temple, shown here.

C H A P T E R 1 3

The Sacred Importance of Temples

I pray with all my soul that all members of the Church and their children and their children’s

children may realize the great truths presented in the house of the Lord.1

Introduction

When David O. McKay became President of the Church in

1951, the Church had eight temples in operation. Four were in

Utah, with the others in Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, and Alberta. In

the summer of 1952, President McKay traveled to nine European

countries. During this trip, he selected the sites for temples in

Switzerland and England, opening an era in which the blessings

of the temple would become available outside the United States

and Canada.2

In the process of selecting and acquiring temple sites,

President McKay was guided by divine inspiration. When he had

selected the site for the London England Temple, engineers

were reluctant, saying that the ground was too swampy.

However, after closer examination, bedrock was found at the

right depth to support the temple’s foundation. In Switzerland,

when President McKay and other Church leaders were unable to

obtain the first site that had been selected, they prayed to the

Lord for help. Soon they found another site that was larger but

cost only half as much. At about the same time, a highway was

unexpectedly constructed through part of the original site, mak-

ing the discovery of the new site all the more fortunate.3

President McKay dedicated the Bern Switzerland Temple in

1955 and the London England Temple in 1958. He also dedi-

cated the Los Angeles California Temple (1956), the Hamilton

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C H A P T E R 1 3

126

New Zealand Temple (1958), and the Oakland California Temple

(1964). President McKay’s leadership in making temples more

widely available throughout the world blessed the lives of count-

less members, their ancestors, and their posterity. An excerpt

from his diary reflects his testimony of the importance of temple

work; on the day he dedicated the Bern Switzerland Temple site,

he wrote, “I want to bring the temple to the people.”4


The temple endowment leads us to the kingdom of God.

There is the Temple “endowment,” which is . . . an ordinance

pertaining to man’s eternal journey and limitless possibilities

and progress which a just and loving Father has provided for the

children whom he made in his own image—for the whole

human family. This is why Temples are built.5

God help us to appreciate the restored gospel of Jesus Christ,

which is all-comprehensive. The philosophy of life is contained

in it, and in our temples will be presented the endowment, obe-

dience to which will take the individual (and this is my testi-

mony, for I know it) from the most selfish, envious, antagonistic,

hateful characteristics of the animal plane, to the highest spiri-

tual plane and to the kingdom of God.6

In temples, couples and families can be sealed for eternity.

One of the principal questions asked by reporters, newsmen

and by people generally is, “What is the difference between your

Temple and your other church edifices?” As all members of the

Church know, the answer is that Temples are built for the per-

formance of sacred ordinances—not secret, but sacred. A

Temple is not a public house of worship. It is erected for special

purposes. Indeed after a Temple is dedicated only members of

the Church in good standing may enter.

One of the distinguishing features of the restored Church of

Jesus Christ is the eternal nature of its ordinances and ceremonies.

C H A P T E R 1 3

127

For example, generally in civil as well as in church ceremonies,

couples are married “for time” only, or “until death dost thee part.”

But love is as eternal as the spirit of man; and if man continues after

death, which he does, so will love.

This interests nearly every intelligent inquirer and investiga-

tor, especially when he or she realizes the truth, that love—the

divinest attribute of the human soul—will be just as eternal as

the spirit itself. So whenever any person dies, the virtue of love

will persist, and if any inquirer believes in the immortality of the

soul, or in the persistence of personality after death, he must

admit that love will also persist. . . .

. . . The injunction of the Savior [is] to love our neighbor as

ourselves. But if earthly things are typical of heavenly things, in

the spirit world we shall recognize our loved ones there and

know them as we loved them here. I love my wife more than I

can love other people. I love my children. I can have sympathy;

I can have a desire to help all mankind, but I love her by whose

side I have sat and watched a loved one in illness, or, perhaps,

pass away. Those experiences bind heart to heart, and it is a glo-

rious thought to cherish that death cannot separate hearts that

are thus bound together; for each of you husbands will recog-

nize your wife in the other world, and you will love her there as

you love her here, and will come forth to a newness of everlast-

ing life in the resurrection. Why should death separate you when

love will continue after death?

It should not, and it need not, for when Jesus was upon the

earth he told his Apostles: “And I will give unto thee the keys of the

kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall

be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth

shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19.) And with the restora-

tion to earth of the Holy Priesthood, the Church asserts that this

power was again given to chosen men, and that in the house of

the Lord where the marriage ceremony is performed by those who

are properly authorized to represent our Lord and Savior, Jesus

Christ, the union between husband and wife, and between par-

ents and children, is effected for time and all eternity, and that for

those thus married the family will continue into the eternities.7

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128

Joseph [Smith] the seer . . . revealed the eternity of the mar-

riage covenant, a doctrine so beautiful, so logical, so far-reaching

in its significance that if it were adopted in its entirety, many of

the present evils of society might be abolished.8

Temple work offers salvation for those who have died without the gospel.

A Chinese student, returning to his homeland, having gradu-

ated from one of our leading colleges, was in conversation with

a Christian minister, also en route to China. When this minister

urged the truth that only through acceptance of Christ’s teach-

ings can any man be saved, the [student] said: “Then what about

my ancestors who never had an opportunity to hear the name of

Jesus?” The minister answered: “They are lost.” Said the student:

“I will have nothing to do with a religion so unjust as to con-

demn to eternal punishment men and women who are just as

noble as we, perhaps nobler, but who never had an opportunity

to hear the name of Jesus.”

One who understands the truth, as revealed to the Prophet

Joseph regarding this doctrine, would have answered: “They will

have an opportunity to hear the gospel, and to obey every prin-

ciple and ordinance by proxy. Every man here or hereafter will

be judged and rewarded according to his works.” 9

Since repentance and baptism by water as well as by the Spirit

are essential to salvation, how shall the millions who have never

heard the Gospel, who have never had an opportunity either to

repent or to be baptized, enter into the kingdom of God? Surely

a God of love can never be satisfied if the majority of His chil-

dren are outside His kingdom, dwelling eternally either in igno-

rance, misery or hell. Such a thought is revolting to intelligent

minds. On the other hand, if these millions who died without

having heard the Gospel can enter into the kingdom of God

without obeying the principles and ordinances of the Gospel,

then Christ’s words to Nicodemus [see John 3:2–5] were not the

statement of a general and eternal truth, and Peter’s words on

the Day of Pentecost [see Acts 2:38] had not a universal applica-

tion, even though he said plainly, “This promise is unto you, and

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129

to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the

Lord our God shall call.” [See Acts 2:39.]

Now the Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches that all mankind may

be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances thereof. [See

Articles of Faith 1:3.] Nor is the term “all” restricted in meaning

to include only a chosen few; it means every child of a loving and

divine Father. And yet, hundreds of millions have died without

ever having heard that there is such a thing as a Gospel plan.

All nations and races have a just claim upon God’s mercies.

Since there is only one plan of salvation, surely there must be

some provision made whereby the “uncounted dead” may hear of

it and have the privilege of either accepting or rejecting it. Such a

plan is given in the principle of salvation for the dead. . . .

Paul referred to [the] practice of baptism [for the dead] in his

argument in favor of the resurrection. He said, “Else what shall

they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all?”

(1 Cor. 15:29). . . . Not a few commentators have tried to explain

away [this passage’s] true significance; but its context proves

plainly that in the days of the apostles there existed the practice of

baptism for the dead; that is, living persons were immersed in

water for and in behalf of those who were dead—not who were

“dead to sin” but who had “passed to the other side.”

In the Kirtland Temple, April 3, 1836, the Prophet Elijah

appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and delivered to

them “powers of the priesthood” that authorize the living to do

work for the dead. These “keys” were restored in fulfilment of

the prophecy of Malachi:

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the com-

ing of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn

the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the chil-

dren to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a

curse” (Mal. 4:5–6). The hearts of the fathers and of the children

will be turned to one another when the fathers in the spirit

world, hearing the Gospel preached and realizing that they must

obey the ordinances thereof, know that their children on the

earth are performing those ordinances for them.

C H A P T E R 1 3

130

All such “work for the dead” is performed in temples, dedi-

cated and set apart for such purposes, where proper records are

kept, and where everything is considered sacred.

With the responsibility resting upon them to carry out this

important phase of Gospel service, the Latter-day Saints have

become a temple-building people.10

You may have the opportunity of gathering the names of your

ancestors, who, being baptized by proxy, may become members of

the kingdom of God in the other world as we are members here.

Since the restoration of this principle and practice, Church

members have zealously searched the records of the world for

the history of their ancestors that their forefathers might receive

vicariously the blessings of the gospel of Christ. In connection

with this work the Church maintains an extensive genealogical

organization.11

In this principle of salvation for the dead, is revealed the com-

prehensiveness of the saving power of the Gospel, and the appli-

cability to all mankind of the Savior’s teachings. Truly, “There is

none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we

must be saved.” [Acts 4:12.] All ordinances performed by the

Priesthood of the Most High are as eternal as love, as compre-

hensive and enduring as life, and through obedience to them, all

mankind, living and dead, may enter into and abide eternally in

the kingdom of God.12

We must enter the temple worthily and be faithful to the covenants we make there.

Those who go into the temple will go with recommends that

they are true Christians; that they are true members of the Church

of Christ; that they are honest with their fellow men; that they live

in accordance with the ideals of the gospel of Jesus Christ.13

Before [a temple] marriage is performed, it is necessary for

the young man and young woman first to obtain a recommend

from the bishop. . . . There, in the presence of the priesthood,

before taking upon themselves the obligation of marriage, the

young people receive instructions upon the sacredness of the

C H A P T E R 1 3

131

duty that is before them; and, furthermore, they determine

whether or not they are prepared to go in holiness and purity to

the altar of God and there seal their vows and love.14

Marriage in the temple is one of the most beautiful things in

all the world. A couple is led there by love, the most divine

attribute of the human soul. . . . Together they stand in the house

of the Lord to testify and covenant before him that they will be

true to the covenants they make that day, each keeping himself

or herself to the other and no one else. That is the highest ideal

of marriage ever given to man. If those covenants are kept as

sacred as sacred covenants should be kept, there would be fewer

broken hearts among wives and fewer among the husbands. A

covenant is a sacred thing. . . . Keep it true, be true to it.15

Those who make covenants for their loved ones and partici-

pate in the highest ideal of marriage ever given to man will walk

in the spirit and not indulge in the flesh. You will be true to the

covenants you make in the House of God.16

“My spirit shall not always strive with man” (Gen. 6:3), says the

Lord. “My spirit will not dwell in an unclean tabernacle.” He who

tries to live a double life, who does live a double life in violation

of his covenants, to quote one author, “is either a knave or a

fool.” Often he is both, because he himself is using his free agency

to gratify his passions, to waste his substance in riotous living, to

violate the covenants that he has made in the house of God.17

We have a responsibility to help make temple blessings available to others.

Our temples erected for the salvation and exaltation of the

human family contribute to the carrying out of the eternal plan of

salvation. The same laws of eternal progress are applicable to all

of our Father’s children whether living in a mortal or a spiritual

existence. Such a universal requirement reflects divine justice. . . .

The restored Church of Jesus Christ is the plan given by our

Heavenly Father whereby every human being who can think for

himself or herself may work with God for the happiness and sal-

vation of his or her soul. Reason and justice would demand uni-

versal application of eternal principles and ordinances to

C H A P T E R 1 3

132

persons living in mortality, and to those living in the spirit

world.

Only thus may God’s work and glory be consummated

through the immortality and eternal life of man.

The eternal plan of salvation is given by direct revelation by the

Father and his Son to the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the divine

authority to officiate in the principles and ordinances rests upon

the men who now guide the destiny of the revealed Church.18

One of our greatest responsibilities is to make accessible to faith-

ful members of the Church in foreign lands suitable houses of the

Lord. Tens of thousands of them are not able to come where

temples are, and where they receive the blessings of the endow-

ment, to have sealed to them their wives and their children for time

and all eternity. Ours is the duty to carry the temple to them.19

O how glorious is the gospel! How great our responsibility to

let the world glimpse its magnificence, its comprehensiveness,

its divinity! I pray with all my soul that our temples will radiate

further interest and a desire to know God’s will in the hearts of

thousands and tens of thousands of noble people who want to

know the truth. God help us all to increase our ability to spread

this truth and to help mankind to know it.20


• Why is it vital that we receive the ordinances of the temple and

make and keep the associated covenants? (See pages 126–28,

130–31.)

• How can the temple endowment lead us to eternal life? (See

page 126.) Why is it important to attend the temple often?

What blessings have you received from participating in temple

ordinances and covenants? Why do you think it is important

to receive these ordinances and covenants before serving a

mission or starting an eternal family?

• What is required for marriage and family relationships to con-

tinue in the eternities? (See pages 126–28.) How should the

doctrine of eternal marriage and families influence our rela-

tionships with our spouse and children? How would greater

C H A P T E R 1 3

133

obedience to this doctrine help abolish “the present evils of

society”?

• What are our responsibilities regarding the salvation of the

dead? (See pages 128–30.) What are some ways you can par-

ticipate in the work for the dead?

• How are temples a great manifestation of God’s love for all

His children? (See pages 128–30.) How does temple work

reflect the universal nature of the plan of salvation? (See pages

128–30.)

• What is the purpose of a temple recommend? (See page 130.)

Why is individual worthiness essential to entering the temple?

In what ways are we blessed as we remain faithful to our

temple covenants? Why is it important to maintain a current

temple recommend even if our circumstances do not allow us

to attend often or at all?

• What can we do to help make temple blessings available to

others? (See pages 131–32.)

Related Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 15:29; D&C 124:37–41; 128:1,

15–24; 131:1–4; 132:19; 138:28–37, 57–60

Notes


2. See James B. Allen, “McKay, David O.,”in Daniel H. Ludlow, ed., Encyclopediaof Mormonism (1992), 4 vols.,2:872–73.

3. See Richard O. Cowan, “Temples:History of Latter-day Saint Templesfrom 1831 to 1990,” in Encyclopediaof Mormonism, 4:1453.

4. Francis M. Gibbons, David O. McKay:Apostle to the World, Prophet of God(1986), 323.

5. The Purpose of the Temple (1976),Church History Library of The Churchof Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints(closed stacks, pamphlet), 11; para-graphing altered.


7. The Purpose of the Temple, 5–7.

8. “The Prophet Joseph Smith—OnDoctrine and Organization,”Improvement Era, Jan. 1945, 45.

9. Improvement Era, Jan. 1945, 15, 45.

10. “Salvation for the Dead,” MillennialStar, 25 Oct. 1923, 680–82.

11. The Purpose of the Temple, 10.

12. Millennial Star, 25 Oct. 1923, 682.









134

“Young men and young women who would live the happiest lives

would do well to prepare themselves to be worthy of that form of marriage

which God has ordained.”

C H A P T E R 1 4

Preparing for an EternalMarriage and Family

Truly no higher ideal regarding marriage can be cherishedby young people than to look upon it as

a divine institution.1

Introduction

David O. McKay proposed to his future wife, Emma Ray Riggs,

in early December 1900, and she asked, “Are you sure I’m the

right one?” He answered that he felt sure that she was. In a sub-

sequent letter to Dr. Obadiah H. Riggs, Emma Ray’s father, David

O. McKay described some of the qualities he valued in her:

“Her sweetness of disposition, her virtue, her intelligence, her

unselfish nature, in short, her perfect qualities, won my love.

When she told me that this affection was reciprocated, my hap-

piness seemed complete. . . . I have asked your daughter to be

mine in marriage, and now I ask you, Dr. Riggs, her father, if you

will give your consent. She has given hers. . . . In return for this

I can give her nothing but a true love and a heart and mind

whose one desire is to make her happy.”

David O. McKay’s letters to Emma Ray during their engage-

ment reflect the noble character of their relationship and the

qualities that she inspired in him. In a letter dated 11 December

1900, he wrote: “Do you know that since I truly loved, I can bet-

ter understand why the gallant knights of old always had a lady

love to fight for. The very thought of pleasing her would nerve

their arms, steel their swords, and make their courage dauntless.

Each one would try to develop the best strength and activity that

he could possibly reach that he might be the more worthy of the

approbation of his lady. Nobility of character, too, the best would

135

C H A P T E R 1 4

136

prize, that they might merit the companionship of those, who,

they thought, possessed the truest and purest of souls.”2

In another letter written to Emma Ray on 22 December 1900,

David O. McKay wrote of the union that he and his fiancée envi-

sioned: “You say our union will be an eternal one. Eternity alone

can satisfy the love I long for, and the love I have to give. . . . I am

lonesome without you, Ray, and I long for the time to come when

you will always be by my side.”3 Because of righteous living and

honorable, wise courtship, Brother and Sister McKay were able to

realize their goal. During his ministry, President McKay often

taught about preparing for an eternal marriage and family.

Although President McKay’s teachings in this chapter are

directed to youth who are preparing for marriage, these

principles are also helpful for people who are married, particu-

larly as they teach and counsel their children and other youth

regarding dating and courtship.


Youth must be taught the sacred nature of marriage and parenthood.

Teach the young people that marriage is not merely a man-

made institution, but that it is ordained of God, and is a sacred

ceremony, and should receive their gravest consideration before

they enter upon a contract that involves either happiness or mis-

ery for the rest of their lives. Marriage is not something which

should be entered into lightly . . . or ended at the first little dif-

ficulty that might arise. The least young people can do is to

approach it with honest intentions of building a home that will

contribute to the bulwark of a noble society.4

Young people of both sexes should be taught the responsibil-

ities and ideals of marriage so that they may realize that marriage

involves obligation and is not an arrangement to be terminated

at pleasure. They should be taught that pure love between the

sexes is one of the noblest things on earth and the bearing and

rearing of children the highest of all human duties. In this

regard, it is the duty of parents to set an example in the home

C H A P T E R 1 4

137

that children may see and absorb the sacredness of family life

and the responsibility associated therewith.5

[The purpose of marriage] is to bear children and rear a fam-

ily. Let us keep that in mind. Hundreds are now saying, and hun-

dreds more will say—“How can I marry and support a bride in a

manner with which she has been accustomed? How can I get an

education and support a family? I cannot even find a place in

which to live.”

These are practical questions. . . . I am willing to recognize

these and other difficulties and meet them, keeping in mind

what the Lord has said that “marriage is ordained of God for

man.” [See D&C 49:15.] And I repeat that the very purpose of

marriage is to rear a family and not for the mere gratification of

man or woman.6

It is said that the best and noblest lives are those which are set

toward high ideals. Truly no higher ideal regarding marriage can

be cherished by young people than to look upon it as a divine

institution. In the minds of the young, such a standard is a pro-

tection to them in courtship, an ever-present influence inducing

them to refrain from doing anything that may prevent their

going to the temple to have their love made perfect in an endur-

ing and eternal union. It will lead them to seek divine guidance

in the selection of their companions, upon the wise choice of

whom their life’s happiness here and hereafter is largely depen-

dent. It makes their hearts pure and good; it lifts them up to

their Father in heaven. Such joys are within the reach of most

men and women if high ideals of marriage and home [are] prop-

erly fostered and cherished.7

Youth should prepare for marriage and parenthood by living clean lives.

Often the health of children, if a couple be blessed with such,

depends upon the actions of parents before marriage. In the

press, from the pulpit, and particularly in the home, there

should ring more frequently the message that in their youth boys

and girls are laying the foundation for their future happiness or

misery. Every young man, particularly, should prepare for the

C H A P T E R 1 4

138

responsibility of fatherhood by keeping himself physically clean,

that he might enter into that responsibility not as a coward or

deceiver, but as one honorable and fit to found a home. The

young man who, in unfitness, takes upon himself the responsi-

bility of fatherhood is worse than a deceiver. The future happi-

ness of his wife and children depends upon his life in youth.

Let us also teach girls that motherhood is divine, for when we

touch the creative part of life, we enter into the realm of divin-

ity. It is important, therefore, that young womanhood realize the

necessity of keeping their bodies clean and pure. . . . No mother

has the right to shackle a child through life for what seems in

youth to be a pleasant pastime or her right to indulge in harm-

ful drugs and other sinful practices.8

Happiness does not begin at the altar; it begins during the

period of youth and courtship. These seeds of happiness are

sown by your ability to master your driving passion. Chastity

should be the dominant virtue among young people—the ideal

which the world has not accepted, and which many in the world

will not believe exists or is cherished in the hearts of youth.9

A dominant evil of the world today is unchastity. . . . He who

is unchaste in young manhood is untrue to a trust given him by

the parents of the girl; and she who is unchaste in maidenhood

is untrue to her future husband and lays the foundation of

unhappiness, suspicion, and discord in the home. . . . Just keep

in mind this eternal truth that chastity is a virtue to be prized as

one of life’s noblest achievements. . . . It is a chief factor to a

happy home. There is no loss of prestige in maintaining in a dig-

nified way the standards of the Church. You can be “in” this

world and not “of the world.” Keep your chastity above every-

thing else! God has commanded that we be chaste.10

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there is but

one standard of morality. No young man has any more right to

be unchaste than has a young girl. That young man who asks for

a recommend to take a pure girl to the altar is expected to give

the same purity that he expects to receive.11

Chastity, not indulgence during the pre-marital years, is the

source of harmony and happiness in the home, and the chief

C H A P T E R 1 4

139

contributing factor to the health and perpetuity of the race.

Loyalty, dependability, confidence, trust, love of God, and fidelity

to man are associated with this diadem in the crown of virtuous

womanhood and [strong] manhood. The word of the Lord to his

Church is: “Keep yourself unspotted from the sin of the world.”

(See James 1:27; D&C 59:9)12

God bless you to keep your lives unpolluted, that you may go

in prayer to God and ask him to guide you in choosing your

mates, and when chosen, that you will both so live that you can

enter the house of God, and if he were present and asked you

about your lives, you could answer him honestly, “Yes, we are

clean.” A marriage begun on that basis, will bring you the happi-

ness, the sweetest joy known in this life, or throughout eternity.13

Youth should date appropriately and should carefully evaluate their feelings.

Young people, young girls in high school, [go] daily in

courtship with young boys of their age, of the girls’ age, in their

early ’teens, depriving themselves of becoming better acquainted

with other companions; and in that daily courtship in their early

age, [become] so intimate as to arouse their passions for an

hour’s pleasure, bringing misery upon themselves through life.

And that is not imagination! You men in the Presidencies of

Stakes and Bishoprics of Wards, and you fathers and mothers of

some of them, know that that is not imagination.14

Young man, always remember when you take [a] girl out to a

party that her father and mother trust her to you. She is their

most precious possession. If they gave you in trust a thousand

dollars, you would not think of misusing it or spending it. They

are giving into your keeping something which cannot be priced

in money, and you are base indeed if you become disloyal to that

trust. . . . I remember my father’s admonition when I started in

my teens to court a young girl: “David, you treat that young lady

as you would have any young boy treat your sister.” Young men,

follow that advice and you will go through life with your con-

science clear, and later in life you can say truthfully that with all

your mistakes, you have never wronged a woman.15

C H A P T E R 1 4

140

In choosing a companion, it is necessary to study . . . the one

with whom you are contemplating making life’s journey. You see

how necessary it is to look for the characteristics of honesty, of

loyalty, of chastity, and of reverence. But after having found

them—“How, then,” you ask, “may you tell whether or not there

is any consanguinity [or close connection], that something

which will make you at least congenial in each other’s com-

pany?” “Is there,” you ask, “some guide?” Though love is not

always a true guide, especially if that love be not reciprocated or

is bestowed upon a surly creature or a brute, yet certainly there

is no happiness without love. “Well,” you may ask, “how may I

know when I am in love?” That is a very important question. . . .

In the presence of the girl you truly love you do not feel to

grovel; in her presence you do not attempt to take advantage of

her; in her presence you feel that you would like to be everything

that a [great man] should become, for she will inspire you to that

ideal. And I ask you young women to cherish that same guide.

What does he inspire in you . . . ? When a young man accompa-

nies you after a meeting, or after a dance, and he shows an incli-

nation to use you as a convenience or as a means of gratification,

then you may put it down that he is not prompted by love.

Under such circumstances, no matter how fascinated you may

be, young women, no matter how confident you may feel that

you love him, let your judgment rule and be master of your feel-

ings. It may grieve you not to follow the inclination of your

heart, but you had better be pained a little in your youth than to

suffer pangs of torture later.16

Great blessings await those who properly prepare for an eternal marriage.

Young men and young women who would live the happiest

lives would do well to prepare themselves to be worthy of that

form of marriage which God has ordained—the union of a man

and woman worthy to have their marriage solemnized in the

temple of the Most High. There as true lovers kneel . . . , each

may cherish the assurance of the following:

C H A P T E R 1 4

141

First, that their married course begins in purity. The children

who come to bless the union are guaranteed a royal birth so far

as inheriting a clean body is concerned.

Second, that their religious views are the same. The difficulty of

rearing children properly is aggravated when Father and Mother

have divergent views regarding doctrine and church affiliation. . . .

Third, that their vows are made with the idea of an eternal

union, not to be broken by petty misunderstandings or difficulties.

Fourth, that a covenant made in God’s presence and sealed by

the Holy Priesthood is more binding than any other bond.

Fifth, that a marriage thus commenced is as eternal as love,

the divinest attribute of the human soul.

Sixth, that the family unit will remain unbroken throughout

eternity.17


• How can we help youth understand the sacred responsibilities

that come with marriage? (See pages 136–37.) What can we do

to help prepare youth for the challenges that inevitably come

to a marriage?

• Why is chastity essential in preparing for an eternal marriage

and family? (See pages 137–39.) How might being unchaste

affect a person’s ability to wisely choose an eternal compan-

ion? What process must a person go through to completely

repent of unchastity? What are some of the blessings of

remaining chaste?

• President McKay taught that children are often affected by the

actions of the parents before marriage (see pages 137–39). In

addition to remaining morally clean, what else can youth and

parents do to keep their lives pure and to protect their future

children?

• In what ways does the media attempt to influence our views of

courtship and marriage? Why do you think President McKay

warned against steady dating at an early age? What other safe-

guards should be observed as people date? (See pages 139–40.)

C H A P T E R 1 4

142

• What counsel would you give to young people who wonder if

they are in love? (See page 140.) What are some qualities that

are important in a relationship?

• What is the purpose of marriage? (See pages 136–37.) What

are the perils of marrying too soon? What are the perils of

delaying marriage too long? How can a couple know when the

time to marry is right?

• President McKay taught that those who view marriage as a

“divine institution” are strengthened and guided during

courtship. Why do you think this is true? How have you seen

people blessed as they have lived gospel standards during

courtship?

• What similarities do you see in President McKay’s teachings for

youth and the standards found in For the Strength of Youth?

How can you help your children understand that the standards

you were taught are the same as the standards for them?

Related Scriptures: Jacob 2:28; Alma 37:37; 39:3–5; D&C

132:15–19

Notes


2. Quoted in David Lawrence McKay, MyFather, David O. McKay (1989), 7–8;paragraphing altered.

3. Quoted in My Father, David O. McKay,8–9; paragraphing altered.



6. Gospel Ideals (1953), 466–67.



9. “As Youth Contemplates an EternalPartnership,” Improvement Era,Mar. 1938, 139.






15. Improvement Era, Mar. 1938, 191.



C H A P T E R 1 5

Experiencing Happiness in Marriage

The exalted view of marriage as held by the Church is given expressively in five words found in the forty-ninth

section of the Doctrine and Covenants: “marriage is ordained of God.” (D&C 49:15.)1

Introduction

David O. McKay and Emma Ray Riggs were married in the Salt

Lake Temple on 2 January 1901, the first couple sealed in that

temple that year. Their union of 69 years exemplifies the contin-

uing devotion of a husband and wife to each other. The strength

of their marriage was noted by both friends and strangers. Sister

McKay once related the following experience:

“I accompanied my husband to a dedication of a meeting-

house in Los Angeles. We stopped on Wilshire Boulevard to get

our car washed. I sat on a bench and the President was standing

over by the car. Suddenly at my elbow I heard a tiny voice say, ‘I

guess that man over there loves you.’ Surprised, I turned and

saw a beautiful boy about seven years of age with dark curly hair

and large brown eyes. ‘What did you say?’

“ ‘I said, I guess that man over there loves you.’

“ ‘Why, yes, he loves me; he is my husband. Why do you ask?’

“ ‘Oh, ’cuz, the way he smiled at you. Do you know, I’d give any-

thing in the world if my Pop would smile at my Mom that way.’ ”2

Until President McKay was confined to a wheelchair, he always

rose when his wife entered the room, held her chair, and

opened the car door for her. He also always bade her hello and

goodbye with an affectionate kiss. This practice continued when

both President and Sister McKay used wheelchairs. Once when

143

C H A P T E R 1 5

144

President and Sister McKay enjoyed “that sweet companionship between husband

and wife which grows dearer and dearer as the troubles of life come on.”

C H A P T E R 1 5

145

President McKay was being wheeled away for a meeting, he

exclaimed: “We have to go back. I didn’t kiss Ray goodbye.” He

was wheeled back for this loving ritual that had become a part of

their relationship.3

A great tribute to the McKays’ marriage was given by a young

couple preparing to be married. One of President McKay’s sons,

David Lawrence McKay, related the experience as follows:

“When Father and Mother were living at 1037 East South

Temple [in Salt Lake City], a young couple arrived in a car, got

out, and then sat down on the front lawn. There, the young man

proposed to the young lady. As he later related the story to a

member of the family, it was because ‘I want our married life to

be as ideal as that of President and Sister McKay.’ ”4


The covenant of eternal marriage brings joy and strengthens love.

In the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ, the family

assumes supreme importance in the development of the indi-

vidual and of society. “Happy and thrice happy are they who

enjoy an uninterrupted union, and whose love, unbroken by any

complaints, shall not dissolve until the last day.” It will not dis-

solve when sealed by the authority of the Holy Priesthood

throughout all eternity. The marriage ceremony, when thus

sealed, produces happiness and joy unsurpassed by any other

experience in the world. “What therefore God hath joined

together, let not man put asunder.” [Mark 10:9.] 5

The eternity of the marriage covenant is a glorious revelation,

giving assurance to hearts bound by the golden clasp of love

and sealed by authority of the Holy Priesthood that their union

is eternal.6

A word about the eternity of the marriage covenant. . . . Let’s

look at the principle of it. Will you name for me in your minds

the most divine attribute of the human soul? . . . Love is the most

divine attribute of the human soul, and if you accept the immor-

tality of the soul, that is, if you believe that personality persists

C H A P T E R 1 5

146

after death, then, you must believe that love also lives. Isn’t that

sound? And I ask you this: Whom shall we love when we recog-

nize those personalities in the next world?

True, we are admonished to love everybody. Yes, we should

love everybody now; but you and I know that we love those

whom we know best. . . . When we meet these personalities in

the eternal realm, we shall recognize them, and know them

because of these experiences in this life. And that union of lov-

ing hearts will be perpetuated after life. That is why we are

married—sealed—for time and eternity. It isn’t just a mere

dogma of the Church—it is a truth fundamental to the life and

happiness of all humanity. It is the part of wisdom to choose the

House of the Lord in which to [pledge] your love and to conse-

crate your vows.7

With the high ideal of marriage as revealed to the Prophet

Joseph Smith, members of the Church should have but one goal,

and that is to keep in mind the fact that marriage, the foundation

of society, is “ordained of God” [D&C 49:15] for the building of

permanent homes in which children may be properly reared and

taught the principles of the gospel.8

Let us substitute the present tendency toward a low view of

marriage with the lofty view which God gives it. Yesterday I stood

at the altar of the temple, as I have stood many a time, and saw

two hearts—two souls—slipping into one, as two dewdrops on

the stem of a rose when the sun comes out in the morning, one

slipping into the other, the two becoming one. That high view of

marriage in the mind of that young bridegroom, and the appre-

ciation of the sacredness of marriage by the bride, I think is one

of the sublimest things in all the world. They had the high view

of marriage, not a low view of it as a means of gratifying passion.

Let us look upon marriage as a sacred obligation and a covenant

as possibly an eternal one.9

The marriage bond should be as eternal as love, the most

divine attribute of the human soul. Most surely, then, that bond

should continue as long as love is an attribute of the spirit.10

C H A P T E R 1 5

147

We must guard against the dangers that threaten marriage.

The signs of the times definitely indicate that the sacredness

of the marriage covenant is dangerously threatened. There are

places where the marriage ceremony may be performed at any

hour of the day or night without any previous arrangement. The

license is issued and the ceremony performed while the couple

wait. Many couples who have been entrapped by such entice-

ments have had their marriages end in disappointment and sor-

row. In some instances these places are nothing more than

opportunities for legalized immorality. Oh, how far they fall

below the true ideal! As far as lies within our power, we must

warn young couples against secret and hasty marriages.

It is vital also to counteract the insidious influences of printed

literature that speaks of the “bankruptcy of marriage,” that advo-

cates trial marriages, and that places extramarital relations on a

par with extramarital friendships.11

Marriage is a sacred relationship entered into for purposes

that are well recognized—primarily for the rearing of a family. It

is claimed by some careful observers that our present modern

life tends to frustrate these purposes.12

Sometimes men and women with low ideals and weakened

wills permit their passions, like unbridled steeds, to dash aside

judgment and self-restraint, and to cause them to commit sin

that may sear their conscience and leave in their hearts an ever-

lasting regret.

In this day when modesty is thrust into the background, and

chastity is considered an outmoded virtue, I appeal to you to

keep your souls unmarred and unsullied from this sin, the con-

sequence of which will smite and haunt you intimately until your

conscience is seared and your character sordid. . . . Remember,

too, the significance of the Savior’s saying that if any shall com-

mit adultery even in his or her heart, he shall not have the Spirit,

but shall deny the faith and shall fear [see D&C 63:16].13

C H A P T E R 1 5

148

Twenty-four years ago when the steamship Marama dropped

anchor outside the coral reef that surrounds the island of

Rarotonga, a passenger desiring to go ashore asked the captain

why he did not sail nearer to the wharf. In answer, the experi-

enced seaman mentioned treacherous waters and pointed to an

engine of one ship, the Maitai, and to the bow of another, still

protruding out of the water—both carrying mute evidence of the

danger of anchoring too close to the shore of this coral-bound

island. “We anchor here,” said the captain, “because it is safer to

avoid being dashed to pieces, as were those two vessels, hulls of

which lie on those dangerous reefs.”

A flippant attitude toward marriage, the ill-advised suggestion

of “companionate marriage,” the base, diabolical theory of “free

sex experiment,” and the ready-made divorce courts are danger-

ous reefs upon which many a family bark [or ship] is wrecked.14

The more you keep in company with your wife, the happier you

are. Business takes you away from home. She is there alone. Do

not let companionship with other women divide your affection,

and that applies to woman as well as to man. At one time I thought

that it did not; that man was wholly to blame for the unrest, the

disagreements and sorrows that are occurring too frequently, but

I have had to modify my opinion. Companionship is the means of

perpetuating that love which brought about your union.15

Another threat to our society is the increasing number of

divorces and the tendency to look upon marriage as a mere con-

tract that may be severed at the first difficulty or misunderstand-

ing that may arise.

One of our most precious possessions is our families. The

domestic relations precede, and, in our present existence, are

worth more than all other social ties. They give the first throb to

the heart and unseal the deep fountains of its love. Home is the

chief school of human virtues. Its responsibilities, joys, sorrows,

smiles, tears, hopes, and solicitudes form the chief interests of

human life. . . .

When one puts business or pleasure above his home, he that

moment starts on the downgrade to soul-weakness. When the

C H A P T E R 1 5

149

club becomes more attractive to any man than his home, it is

time for him to confess in bitter shame that he has failed to

measure up to the supreme opportunity of his life and flunked

in the final test of true manhood. . . . The poorest shack in which

love prevails over a united family is of greater value to God and

future humanity than any other riches. In such a home God can

work miracles and will work miracles.16

A successful marriage requires continued courtship, effort, and commitment.

I should like to urge continued courtship, and apply this to

grown people. Too many couples have come to the altar of mar-

riage looking upon the marriage ceremony as the end of

courtship instead of the beginning of an eternal courtship. Let us

not forget that during the burdens of home life—and they

come—that tender words of appreciation, courteous acts are

even more appreciated than during those sweet days and months

of courtship. It is after the ceremony and during the trials that

daily arise in the home that a word of “thank you,” or “pardon

me,” “if you please,” on the part of husband or wife contributes

to that love which brought you to the altar. It is well to keep in

mind that love can be starved to death as literally as the body that

receives no sustenance. Love feeds upon kindness and courtesy.

It is significant that the first sentence of what is now known

throughout the Christian world as the Psalm of Love, is, “Love

suffereth long, and is kind.” [See 1 Corinthians 13:4.] The wed-

ding ring gives no man the right to be cruel or inconsiderate, and

no woman the right to be slovenly, cross, or disagreeable.

The next contributing factor to your happy marriage I would

name is self-control. Little things happen that annoy you, and you

speak quickly, sharply, loudly, and wound the other’s heart. I know

of no virtue that helps to contribute to the happiness and peace of

the home more than that great quality of self-control in speech.

Refrain from saying the sharp word that comes to your mind at

once if you are wounded or if you see something in the other

which offends you. It is said that during courtship we should keep

our eyes wide open, but after marriage keep them half-shut. . . .

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150

“Marriage is a relationship that cannot survive selfishness,

impatience, domineering, inequality, and lack of respect.

Marriage is a relationship that thrives on acceptance, equality,

sharing, giving, helping, doing one’s part, learning together,

enjoying humor.” 17

Minimize the faults, commend virtues. After the first thrill of

the honeymoon is worn off, couples begin to see frailties, idio-

syncrasies which they had not noticed before. Responsibilities of

motherhood come to the woman. Difficulties in paying debts

come. And so we become prone to find fault. Let us learn to con-

trol ourselves in that respect. . . .

I regard it as an incontrovertible fact that in no marriage circle

can true peace, love, purity, chastity, and happiness be found, in

which is not present the spirit of Christ, and the daily, hourly striv-

ing after loving obedience to his divine commands, and especially,

the nightly prayer expressing gratitude for blessings received.

God help us to build homes in which the spirit of heaven on

earth may be experienced. You and I know that that is possible,

it is not a dream, it is not a theory. We may have that sweet com-

panionship between husband and wife which grows dearer and

dearer as the troubles of life come on. We can have homes in

which children will never hear father and mother wrangle or

quarrel. God help us . . . to build such homes, and to teach our

young men and young women who are anticipating home life, to

cherish such an ideal.18


• What impresses you about the relationship between President

and Sister McKay? How does their relationship enhance his

credibility in giving counsel on marriage?

• President McKay taught that love is “the most divine attribute

of the human soul” (page 145). Why do you think that is true?

• What do you think it means that “marriage is ordained of

God”? (See pages 145–46.) What effect should that knowledge

have on our attitude toward marriage? What does “The Family:

A Proclamation to the World” teach regarding marriage?

C H A P T E R 1 5

151

• What are some of the dangers that threaten marriages today?

(See pages 147–49.) What is the difference between viewing

marriage as a covenant and viewing marriage as a “mere con-

tract”? How can we resolve problems and differences that

arise in marriage? (See pages 149–50.)

• Why do some people postpone or avoid marriage? How can

we help others regard marriage as the “high ideal” of which

President McKay spoke?

• Why is continued courtship essential throughout marriage?

(See pages 149–50.) What ways have you found to strengthen

your relationship with your spouse? What examples have you

seen of other couples who continue to strengthen their mar-

riages?

• Why are harsh words damaging to the marriage relationship?

How can we gain greater self-control in this area? (See pages

149–50.)

• President McKay taught that no marriage can thrive without

the “spirit of Christ” (page 150). In what ways can we bring

the spirit of Christ into marriage?

Related Scriptures: Matthew 19:3–8; Ephesians 5:25; D&C

25:14; 42:22; 49:15–17; 131:1–4

Notes


2. Emma Ray Riggs McKay, The Art of Rearing Children Peacefully (1952),10.

3. Quoted in David Lawrence McKay, MyFather, David O. McKay (1989), 264.

4. My Father, David O. McKay, 1.



7. “As Youth Contemplates an EternalPartnership,” Improvement Era,Mar. 1938, 191.






13. In Conference Report, Oct. 1951, 8–9;paragraphing altered.






152

“Let us be more determined to make [righteous] homes, . . . determined that in our

homes we are going to have just a little taste of heaven here on this earth.”

C H A P T E R 1 6

The Noble Calling of Parents

Protect your children. Guide them . . . through the example of a kind father, a loving mother.1

Introduction

President David O. McKay often expressed appreciation for his

parents and their influence in his life: “From [my father] I

learned the lessons of work and worship which apply to the

moral and spiritual activities as well as the immediate, temporal

things. Whatever duty we assume, whatever task, we must do it

and give our best to it.

“My mother’s beautiful example has always remained with me

also—her gentleness and patience and sincerity.” 2

President McKay in turn had a powerful influence as a loving

father. When one of his sons, David Lawrence, was a young boy,

he accompanied his father in a horse-drawn carriage. “We forded

a swollen river in a thunderstorm,” David Lawrence later

recalled, “and got caught between that river and a mountain tor-

rent. I thought the end of the world had come, and started to

cry. Father held me on his lap in his arms all night until we were

rescued in the morning. It’s hard to disobey a man who loves

you and puts his arms around you.” 3

David Lawrence remembered that David O. and Emma Ray

McKay made their expectations clear to their children and that

they, as parents, “were so self-disciplined that we were never

confused by seeing them behave in a way different from the way

we were supposed to behave. . . . Our parents’ expectations pro-

vided the path for us to follow, and our love for them provided

an irresistible motivation for us to walk that path. We learned to

love them because they first dearly loved each other and us.” 4

153

C H A P T E R 1 6

154

President McKay’s example and counsel to Latter-day Saint

parents demonstrated his understanding of their important

influence and reflected his conviction that “no other success can

compensate for failure in the home.”5


Parents have a divine responsibility to care for and guide their children.

A newborn babe is the most helpless creature in the world. The

protecting care of parenthood is essential to its survival, as well

as its growth. . . . Our most precious possessions, our treasures

of eternity, are our children. These merit and should receive our

greatest and our most constant care and guidance. . . .

The bringing of children into the world bears with it great

responsibilities and opens to view the noblest purpose of life,

namely, a co-partnership with deity “to bring to pass the immor-

tality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39.) 6

The Father of all mankind expects parents, as his representa-

tives, to assist him in shaping and guiding human lives and

immortal souls. That is the highest assignment which the Lord

can bestow upon man.7

Parenthood . . . should be held as a sacred obligation. There

is something in the depths of the human soul which revolts

against neglectful parenthood. God has implanted deep in the

souls of parents the truth that they cannot with impunity shirk

the responsibility to protect childhood and youth.

There seems to be a growing tendency to shift this responsi-

bility from the home to outside influences, such as the school

and the church. Important as these outward influences are, they

never can take the place of the influence of the mother and the

father. Constant training, constant vigilance, companionship,

being watchmen of our own children are necessary in order to

keep our homes intact.8

The inspiration of God is seen in requiring the Latter-day

Saints to keep their homes intact and to teach their children the

principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. “And they shall also teach

C H A P T E R 1 6

155

their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord.”

This command from the Lord, given to us in the Doctrine and

Covenants, section 68, verse 28, leaves no question as to the

responsibility of parents to teach their children—a responsibility

too frequently shifted to the shoulders of the Church, public

schools, and officers of the law.9

Three groups carry the responsibility of training children:

First, the family; second, the Church; third, the state. The most

important of these is the family. By divine edict the Lord has

placed upon parents the responsibility, first to teach the doctrine

of repentance; second, faith in Christ, the Son of the living God;

third, baptism and confirmation; fourth, to teach children to

pray; fifth, to teach children to walk uprightly before the Lord

[see D&C 68:25–28]. Parents who shirk this responsibility will

have to answer for the sin of neglect.10

The greatest trust that can come to a man and woman is the

placing in their keeping the life of a little child. If a man defaults

who is entrusted with other people’s funds, whether he be a

bank, municipal, or state official, he is apprehended and proba-

bly sent to prison. If a person entrusted with a government

secret discloses that secret, and betrays his country, he is called

a traitor. What must the Lord think, then, of parents who,

through their own negligence or wilful desire to indulge their

selfishness, fail properly to rear their children, and thereby

prove untrue to the greatest trust that has been given to human

beings? In reply the Lord has said: “ . . . the sin be upon the

heads of the parents.” (D&C 68:25.)11

There is nothing temporary in the home of the Latter-day

Saints. There is no element of transitoriness in the family rela-

tionship. To the Latter-day Saint the home is truly the basic unit

of society; and parenthood is next to Godhood. The secret of

good citizenship lies in the home. The secret of instilling faith in

God, faith in his Son, the Redeemer of the world, faith in the

organizations of the Church, lies in the home. There it is cen-

tered. God has placed upon parents the responsibility of instill-

ing these principles into the minds of children. Our schools, our

Church organizations, and some worthy social institutions are all

C H A P T E R 1 6

156

helps in the upbuilding and guidance of the youth, but none of

these—great and important as they are in the lives of our

youth—can supplant the permanence and the influence of the

parents in the home.12

Mothers can have a powerful influence for good on their children.

One of the greatest needs in the world today is intelligent,

conscientious motherhood. . . .

Motherhood is the greatest potential influence either for good

or ill in human life. The mother’s image is the first that stamps

itself on the unwritten page of the young child’s mind. It is her

caress that first awakens a sense of security; her kiss the first real-

ization of affection; her sympathy and tenderness the first assur-

ance that there is love in the world.13

The noblest calling in the world is motherhood. True mother-

hood is the most beautiful of all arts, the greatest of all profes-

sions. She who can paint a masterpiece, or who can write a book

that will influence millions, deserves the admiration and plaudits

of mankind; but she who rears successfully a family of healthy,

beautiful sons and daughters, whose immortal souls will exert

an influence throughout the ages long after paintings shall have

faded, and books and statues shall have decayed or have been

destroyed, deserves the highest honor that man can give, and the

choicest blessings of God.14

Mothers sow the seeds in childhood that determine to a great

extent life’s harvests in adulthood. A mother who instills into the

souls of her children respect for one another and love for moth-

erhood and fatherhood, renders a great service to the Church

and to humanity in general. Children from such homes go out

into the world as good citizens—citizens who will render the

service which their parents have rendered, to fight the battles

which their fathers and mothers have fought. . . .

Motherhood is the one thing in all the world which most truly

exemplifies the God-given virtues of creating and sacrificing.

Though it carries the woman close to the brink of death, moth-

erhood also leads her into the very realm of the fountains of life,

C H A P T E R 1 6

157

and makes her co-partner with the Creator in bestowing upon

eternal spirits mortal life.

All through the years of babyhood, childhood, and youth, yes,

even after her girls themselves become mothers and her sons

become fathers, the mother tenderly, lovingly sacrifices for them

her time, her comfort, her pleasures, her needed rest and recre-

ation, and, if necessary, health and life itself. No language can

express the power and beauty and heroism of a mother’s love. . . .

. . . Among my most precious soul-treasures is the memory of

Mother’s prayers by the bedside, of her affectionate touch as she

tucked the bed clothes around my brother and me and gave each

a loving, goodnight kiss. We were too young and roguish then to

appreciate fully such devotion, but not too young to know that

Mother loved us.

It was this realization of Mother’s love, with a loyalty to the

precepts of an exemplary father, which more than once during

fiery youth turned my steps from the precipice of temptation.15

No nobler work in this world can be performed by any mother

than to rear and love the children with whom God has blessed

her. That is her duty.16

Fathers should take an active part in rearing their children.

One evening, about five o’clock, four brethren were riding

down Main Street [in Salt Lake City, Utah] in an automobile. Just

as they passed First South Street, they heard a little plaintive cry,

“Papa! Papa! Papa! wait.” The father was the driver, and his ready

ear recognized his son’s voice. He brought the machine instantly

to a standstill. As the men looked out, they saw coming out of

that bustling, jostling crowd of humanity, a little nine-year-old

boy, out of breath, panting, crying, because of his effort to over-

take the machine. . . .

The father said, “Why, where have you been, my son?”

“I have been looking for you.”

“Well, did you leave the place where we agreed to meet?”

“Yes, I went up to see where you were.”

C H A P T E R 1 6

158

The boy understood that they were to meet in front of the

Tabernacle. The father evidently meant to meet the child farther

down the street. Through this misunderstanding the son had

become separated from his parent, and the little child was

thrown into that vast throng, unprotected.

I believe that illustrates the keynote of warning that has been

sounded frequently. Fathers, is there a misunderstanding

between you and your sons? Is there one wandering amidst the

throngs of life, surrounded by all kinds of temptations, and you

expecting to meet him at an appointed place which he does not

know? He may not come out from that throng and cry, “Father,

Father!” and if he should, your ears might be deaf to that call,

because of the concentration of your mind upon the affairs of

life. So you might speed by him and leave him in the midst of

evil, to find his own way home. Take your sons with you along

this road of life, that you may have them with you in that eternal

home where there is everlasting peace and contentment.17

The father who, because of business or political or social

responsibilities, fails to share with his wife the responsibilities of

rearing his sons and daughters is untrue to his marital obliga-

tions, is a negative element in what might and should be a joy-

ous home atmosphere, and is a possible contributor to discord

and delinquency.18

Parents should lovingly teach obedience and reverence.

Reverence and obedience to law should begin at home.

Indeed, too much emphasis cannot be laid upon the responsi-

bility of parents to teach their children reverence for God in all

things sacred, and to honor and uphold the law.19

Obedience is heaven’s first law, and it is the law of the home.

There can be no true happiness in the home without obedi-

ence—obedience obtained, not through physical force, but

through the divine element of love. There is no home without

love. You may have a palace and yet not have a home, and you

may live in a log house with a dirt roof, and a dirt floor, and have

there the most glorious home in all the world, if within those

C H A P T E R 1 6

159

four log walls there permeates the divine principle of love,

[which creates] that blessed obedience and compliance that

makes life worth while.20

There have been rampant some wild theories about the self-

determination of children, and the preservation of their individ-

uality. Some of these theorists believe that children should be

permitted to solve their own problems without guidance from

parents. There is some virtue in this, but there is more error. . . .

. . . The child should learn that there are limits to his actions,

that there are certain bounds beyond which he cannot pass with

impunity. This conformity to home conditions can be easily

obtained with kindness, but with firmness. “Train the child the

way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from

it.” [See Proverbs 22:6.]21

Youth [need] guidance, direction, and proper restraint. “Let

thy child’s first lesson be obedience, and the second will be what

thou wilt,” said Benjamin Franklin. . . . The child should learn

early that the world is not created for him alone; that he has an

obligation to others. . . .

Parents, too, have a responsibility in this training not to pro-

voke children to wrath [see Ephesians 6:4]. They should be con-

siderate not to irritate by vexatious commands or place

unreasonable blame. Whenever possible they should give

encouragement rather than remonstrance or reproof.22

Parental example is a powerful force in the lives of children.

There is a responsibility upon all, and especially upon fathers

and mothers, to set examples to children and young people wor-

thy of imitation. Parents must be sincere in upholding law and

upholding the priesthood in their homes, that children may see

a proper example.23

It is the duty of parents and of the Church not only to teach

but also to demonstrate to young people that living a life of truth

and moral purity brings joy and happiness, while violations of

moral and social laws result only in dissatisfaction, sorrow, and,

when carried to extreme, in degradation.24

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160

It is our duty as adults and [our children’s] parents to set

them a proper example in the home and in society. It is our

responsibility to impress our children with our sincerity in our

belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Never should parents teach

one thing about the gospel and do another. Children are very

susceptible to insincerity.25

The family gives to the child his name and standing in the

community. A child wants his family to be as good as those of his

friends. He wants to be able to point with pride to his father, and

to feel an inspiration always as he thinks of his mother.26

God help us to defend the truth—better than that, to live it,

to exemplify it in our homes. . . . God give you power so to have

that influence, that your children may be true to the last, to

death if necessary, to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.27

Let us be more determined to make [righteous] homes, to be

kinder husbands, more thoughtful wives, more exemplary to our

children, determined that in our homes we are going to have

just a little taste of heaven here on this earth.28


• What are the roles of parents in God’s plan “to bring to pass

the immortality and eternal life” of His children? (See pages

154–56.) How do fathers and mothers share the responsibility

for bringing up children in righteousness? (See pages

156–58.)

• Why should parents make their children and the home their

main priority? What kinds of influences or activities compete

for family time together? How can parents keep activities out-

side the home in proper perspective? Why is it important to

involve all family members in these decisions?

• What special relationship should exist between a mother and

her children? (See pages 156–57.) In what unique ways can

mothers influence their children for good?

• What can fathers do to take an active part in rearing their chil-

dren? (See pages 157–58.) What blessings can come to fathers

and children as they spend time together?

C H A P T E R 1 6

161

• What are some effective ways for parents to teach children

obedience and reverence? (See pages 158–59.) Why is love

such an important part of this effort? What can parents do

when children choose to disobey and become wayward?

• What is the effect on children when parents “teach one thing

about the gospel and do another”? How have you seen

parental example influence children in positive ways? (See

pages 159–60.)

• In what ways can we help single parents who are striving to

raise their children in righteousness?

• Why do you think the Lord has placed the responsibilities of

parenthood above all other responsibilities? Why is it impor-

tant to understand that the home is the basic unit of the

Church? What similarities do you see between President

McKay’s teachings on the family and “The Family: A

Proclamation to the World”?

Related Scriptures: Colossians 3:20–21; 1 Nephi 1:1; 8:35–38;

Enos 1:1–3; Alma 56:41–48

Notes


2. Secrets of a Happy Life, comp.Llewelyn R. McKay (1960), xii.

3. Quoted in John J Stewart,Remembering the McKays (1970), 30.

4. David Lawrence McKay, My Father,David O. McKay (1989), 99; para-graphing altered.

5. Quoted from J. E. McCulloch, Home:The Savior of Civilization (1924), 42;in Conference Report, Apr. 1935, 116.







12. Stepping Stones to an Abundant Life,comp. Llewelyn R. McKay (1971), 358.

13. True to the Faith: From the Sermonsand Discourses of David O. McKay,comp. Llewelyn R. McKay (1966),167–68.


15. Man May Know for Himself:Teachings of President David O.McKay, comp. Clare Middlemiss(1967), 262–65.


17. Gospel Ideals (1953), 489–90.



20. In Conference Report, June 1919, 78.









162

“The most precious thing in the world is a testimony of the truth.”

C H A P T E R 1 7

A Testimony of the Truth

A testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ is the mostsacred, the most precious gift in our lives, obtained

only by adherence to the principles of the gospel, not by following the paths of the world.1

Introduction

President David O. McKay often taught about the importance of

gaining a personal testimony of the gospel, promising that “the

Lord never forsakes those who seek him.” While in his youth,

David O. McKay desired to obtain his own witness of the truth.

Recalling that period of his life, he wrote:

“Somehow in my youth I got the idea that we could not get a

testimony unless we had some manifestation. I read of the first

vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and I knew that he knew

what he had received was of God. I heard my father’s testimony

of a voice that had come to him, and somehow I received the

impression that that was the source of all testimony. I realized in

my youth that the most precious thing that a man could obtain

in this life was a testimony of the divinity of this work. I hun-

gered for it; I felt that if I could gain a testimony, all else would

indeed seem insignificant.

“I did not neglect my prayers. I always felt that the secret prayer,

whether in the room or out in the grove or on the hills, would be

the place where that testimony would come. Accordingly, when I

was a boy I knelt in prayer more than once by the serviceberry

bush as my saddle-horse stood by the side of the road.

“I remember riding over the hills of Huntsville one afternoon,

thinking of these things and concluding that there in the silence of

the hills was the best place to get that testimony. I stopped my

horse, threw the reins over his head, withdrew just a few steps, and

163

C H A P T E R 1 7

164

knelt by the side of a tree. The air was clear and pure, the sunshine

delightful; the growing verdure and flowers scented the air. . . .

“I knelt down and with all the fervor of my heart poured out

my soul to God and asked him for a testimony of this gospel. I

had in mind that there would be some manifestation; that I

should receive some transformation that would leave me

absolutely without doubt.

“I got up, mounted my horse, and as he started over the trail,

I remember rather introspectively searching myself and involun-

tarily shaking my head, saying to myself, ‘No, sir, there is no

change; I am just the same boy I was before I knelt down.’ The

anticipated manifestation had not come.”2

Even though he did not immediately receive the manifestation

he expected, President McKay continued to seek a personal wit-

ness. He later related that “the spiritual manifestation for which

I had prayed as a boy in my teens came as a natural sequence to

the performance of duty.”3

From his own experience President McKay taught that obedi-

ence to gospel principles was a key to receiving a testimony. He

testified: “If you will undertake to embrace the principles of life

everlasting, you will find it instilling upon your soul a benediction

of the Holy Ghost which will give you a testimony beyond any pos-

sibility of doubt that God lives, that he is indeed our Father, and

that this is his work established through the Prophet Joseph

Smith. That is my testimony—the most precious thing in life!”4


A testimony of the truth is the most precious possession in the world.

There is nothing which a man can possess in this world, which

will bring more comfort, more hope and faith than a testimony

of the existence of a Heavenly Father who loves us, or of the real-

ity of Jesus Christ, his Only Begotten Son, that those two heav-

enly personages appeared to the Prophet Joseph and established

the Church of Jesus Christ, and that men are officially authorized

to represent Deity.5

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165

The most precious thing in the world is a testimony of the

truth. . . . Truth never grows old, and the truth is that God is the

source of [the] Priesthood . . . ; that He lives, that Jesus Christ,

the great High Priest, stands at the head of this Church.6

We have had testimony of the Spirit that we are children of our

Father in heaven. We have had testimony that God is a living

being. We have had testimony that Christ, who was crucified and

who rose the third day a resurrected being, is the head of his

Church. We have had testimony of the Spirit that he has revealed

in this dispensation the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is again

established on earth in all its fullness. The gospel of Jesus Christ,

as revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, is in very deed in every

way the power of God unto salvation [see Romans 1:16]. It gives

to every man the perfect life here, and through obedience to

gospel principles it gives us eternal life.7

Cherish in your hearts the testimony of truth; make it as solid

and as firm and unwavering as the fixed stars in the heavens. May

there come into everyone’s heart and into all our homes the true

Spirit of Christ, our Redeemer, whose reality, whose inspiring

guidance I know to be real.8

As we are obedient, we receive a testimony through the Spirit.

Purity of thought, and a sincere heart seeking the Savior’s

guidance daily will lead to a testimony of the truth of Christ’s

Gospel as sure and permanent as that which Peter possessed

. . . after seeing the transfiguration of Christ, and hearing the

voice of God testify to His divinity [see Matthew 17:1–5].9

I have wondered how many of us are showing . . . [the youth]

how they may [receive a testimony]. Are we sufficiently empha-

sizing the fact that they will never know it if they indulge in sin;

they will never find it out if they live to gratify their passions and

appetites. “My spirit shall not always strive with man.” (Gen. 6:3;

D&C 1:33; Moses 8:17.) His spirit will not dwell in unclean tab-

ernacles. (“The Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy

temples.” Helaman 4:24.) And you cannot have a testimony

without the Spirit of God. . . .

C H A P T E R 1 7

166

. . . The question arises—How may I know? Jesus has answered

it, as he has shown the way in every aspect of life. One day, when

he bore testimony to his divinity, that his teachings were of God,

the Pharisees and others around him said, “How knoweth this

man letters, having never learned?” How do we know (that was

their question), that you are divine? And he gave a simple answer:

“If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine,

whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” ( John 7:15,

17.) There is a definite answer—a clear-cut statement. . . . “If ye

will do the will, ye shall know.” And, “to know God, and Jesus

Christ, whom he has sent, is eternal life.” [See John 17:3.]10

It is given unto some, says the Lord in the Doctrine and

Covenants, to know by the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Son of

God and that He was crucified for the sins of the world [see D&C

46:13]. It is to these I refer who stand firm upon the rock of rev-

elation in the testimony that they bear to the world. But the Lord

says further there are others to whom it is given to believe upon

the testimony of others’ words, that they may also receive salva-

tion if they continue faithful [see D&C 46:14]. To all these, how-

ever, there comes the testimony also of daily experience.

The Latter-day Saints throughout the world find confirmation

of their testimony in every performance of duty. They know that

the gospel teaches them to be better individuals; that obedience

to the principles of the gospel makes them stronger men, and

truer women. Every day such knowledge comes to them, and

they cannot gainsay it; they know that obedience to the gospel

of Jesus Christ makes them better and truer husbands, true and

honored wives, obedient children. They know that obedience to

the principles of the gospel makes them in every respect ideal

home-builders; the ideal is there, they sense it in their minds,

they cannot gainsay it, they know it, and they know that trans-

gression of these principles will have the opposite effect upon

their individual lives and upon their home lives. They know that

obedience to the gospel fosters true brotherhood and fellowship

among mankind; they know that they are better citizens by virtue

of obedience unto the laws and ordinances. So, as they go

through their daily acts, and apply religion in their vocation, the

truth of the Gospel becomes exemplified in their lives.11

C H A P T E R 1 7

167

You, no doubt, have met people who . . . wonder how it is that

this Church manifests such vitality and growth. The secret is this,

that every true Latter-day Saint possesses individually the assur-

ance that this is the work of God, the same power that gave Peter

and John strength to stand before their accusers and declare

openly and boldly in the Sanhedrin that “Jesus whom ye cruci-

fied is the power by which this man was made whole,” that His

name is the only name given among men by which they can be

saved [see Acts 4:10, 12].

The secret lies in the testimony possessed by each individual

who is faithful in the membership of the Church of Christ, that the

gospel consists of correct principles. . . . This testimony has been

revealed to every sincere man and woman who has conformed to

the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, obeyed the ordinances

and become entitled to and have received the Spirit of God, the

Holy Ghost, to guide them. Every individual stands independent

in his sphere in that testimony, just as [the] thousands of incan-

descent lamps which [make] Salt Lake City . . . so brilliant at night,

each one of which stands and shines in its own sphere, yet the

light in it is produced by the same power, the same energy, from

which all the other lights receive their energy.12

If we receive the witness of man, the witness of God is greater,

for this is the witness of God which he has testified of his Son:

“He that believeth on the Son of God hath witness in himself.”

[1 John 5:10.] There is a witness of the Spirit. God does reveal

today to the human soul the reality of the resurrection of the

Lord, the divinity of this great work, the truth, the divine and

eternal truth, that God lives, not as a power, an essence, a force,

as electricity, but as our Father in heaven. . . . God reveals to the

soul his existence. He reveals the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ,

who came to earth to give to men the great reality of the exis-

tence of God and his Son.13

With truth as our guide, our companion, our ally, our inspira-

tion, we may tingle with the consciousness of our kinship with

the Infinite, and all the petty trials, sorrows, and sufferings of this

life will fade away as the temporary, harmless visions seen in a

dream. That is our privilege through God’s blessing and guidance

C H A P T E R 1 7

168

if we apply in daily activity the spiritual blessings and privileges of

the gospel of Jesus Christ.14

A testimony of the gospel is an anchor to the soul.

The testimony of the gospel is an anchor to the soul in the

midst of confusion and strife. . . . Knowledge of God and His

laws, means stability, means contentment, means peace, and

with that a heart full of love reaching out to our fellow man offer-

ing the same blessings, the same privileges.15

We cannot truly believe that we are the children of God, and

that God exists, without believing in the final inevitable triumph

of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we believe that, we

shall have less worry about the destruction of the world and the

present civilization, because God has established his Church

never to be thrown down nor given to another people. And as

God lives, and his people are true to him and to one another, we

need not worry about the ultimate triumph of truth.

. . . If you have that testimony [of truth] on your side, you can

pass through the dark valley of slander, misrepresentation, and

abuse, undaunted as though you wore a magic suit of armor that

no bullet could enter, no arrow could pierce. You can hold your

head high, toss it fearlessly and defiantly, look every man calmly

and unflinchingly in the eye. . . . You will know that all will come

out right in the end; that it must come; that all must flee before

the great white light of truth, as the darkness slinks away into

nothingness in the presence of the sunburst.16


• What does it mean to have a testimony of Jesus Christ and His

gospel? Why is a testimony the most precious possession we

can obtain? (See pages 164–65.) Why is it essential that we

each have an individual testimony?

• What must we do to receive a witness of the truth? (See pages

165–68.) Why is obedience an integral part of a strong testi-

mony? What part does the Holy Ghost have in our obtaining a

testimony?

C H A P T E R 1 7

169

• Why is it important to continue to strengthen our testimonies

throughout our lives? What ways have you found to nourish

your testimony?

• What can we do to help our children receive a testimony of

Jesus Christ and His gospel?

• President McKay taught that a “testimony of the gospel is an

anchor to the soul” (page 168). Why do we need a testimony

to anchor our souls? (See page 168.) How has your testimony

protected and strengthened you through the trials of life?

• Why is it important that we share our testimonies with others?

What blessings have you experienced as a result of bearing

testimony?

Related Scriptures: Matthew 16:13–17; Luke 22:32; John 7:17;

14:26; Ether 12:4; Moroni 10:3–5; D&C 1:39; 93:24–28

Notes



3. Cherished Experiences from theWritings of President David O. McKay,comp. Clare Middlemiss, rev. ed.(1976), 7.






9. Ancient Apostles (1918), 49.


11. In Conference Report, Oct. 1912,121; paragraphing altered.






170

“Through the mist of his bitter tears, [Peter] saw all the true attributes

of manhood as they were personified in Jesus—Reverence, Brotherliness,

Patience, Sincerity, Courage.”

C H A P T E R 1 8

Courage to Live Righteously

The greatest need in the world today is faith in God and courage to do his will.1

Introduction

In a general conference address, President David O. McKay

related a story told by a man named James L. Gordon:

“A young boy . . . decided to be an apprentice in one of the

carpenters’ societies. He was a bright young boy in his teens, and

the men were very glad to admit him. They said, ‘Come on, let’s

drink to the entrance of this young man to our group!’ They

poured out the beer [and] handed him the glass.

“He said, ‘No, thank you, I do not drink.’

“ ‘Well,’ said a gruff old member, ‘we’re not going to have any

teetotalers [or nondrinkers] in our group.’

“ ‘Well,’ said the young boy, ‘you’ll have one if you have me.’

“Another seized him by the collar and said, ‘Young man, you’ll

have this beer either inside or outside!’

“ ‘Very well, I came here with a clean jacket and a clear con-

science. You may soil my jacket if you wish, but you shall not soil

my character.’

Referring to the young man in the story, President McKay

observed:

“He had been trained—I use that word properly—not only

taught, but trained to avoid the use of tobacco and strong drink,

intoxicating liquor. That is what I mean by moral courage. The

greatest need in the world today is faith in God and courage to

do his will.” 2

171

C H A P T E R 1 8

172


The Savior is the supreme example of courage.

He who is or should be the guide of our lives was the most

courageous of all men. “In Jesus we find bravery at the best;

courage at its loftiest; heroism at its climax.” True heroism

defends the right and faces disaster without cringing. In this

regard the Savior was the personification of true courage and

heroism. Illustrative of this I need only mention the cleansing of

the temple [see Matthew 21:12–13]; or his fearlessly speaking

the truth when his home folk turned him from Nazareth [see

Luke 4:16–32, 43–44]; or when the five thousand in Capernaum

. . . [were reduced in number and] he turned [to the Twelve]

and said, “Will ye also go away?” [See John 6:66–67.] Never once,

however, did the Master despair or turn from his destined

course. This is the kind of courage we need in the world today.3

As soldiers went to lay hands upon Jesus, Peter . . . jumped to

the rescue of his Master, “drew his sword, and smote a servant of

the high priest and cut off his ear.” [See John 18:10.]. . . “Put up

thy sword into the sheath,” commanded the Savior, “the cup

which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” [John

18:11.] What a lesson to Peter! Even though duty led to suffering

and death, yet would the Lord not waver in His strength. . . .

Peter’s strength and loyalty were wavering; but he could not

bring himself to flee with the others. Neither could he conclude

that it was best to go with Jesus; so he did neither, but “followed

Him afar off, even unto the palace of the high priest.” [Mark

14:54.] At first, he remained on the outside, but later ventured

in where the servants were sitting. . . .

[After Peter had denied knowing the Lord three times], the

Savior . . . “turned and looked upon Peter.” Then recalling the

words of his Lord, “Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny

me thrice,” Peter went out and wept bitterly. [See Luke 22:54–62.]

It is said when Peter “went out speechless from the face of

all . . . and filled the silence, weeping bitterly,” that his grief was so

heavy that he remained alone all day during Friday and Saturday

following the Savior’s crucifixion. If so, his sorrow for what he had

C H A P T E R 1 8

173

done was made all the more acute as he recalled the many kind

words the Savior had spoken to him, and the many, many happy

moments he had spent in the Lord’s company. Every word and act

and look associated with his Master would flash upon his mind

with a new meaning. . . . Through the mist of his bitter tears, he

saw all the true attributes of manhood as they were personified in

Jesus—Reverence, Brotherliness, Patience, Sincerity, Courage.4

The world’s hope and destiny are centered in the Man of

Galilee, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In your moment when

you are fighting out the battle of the day, will you look intro-

spectively and see whether you really believe that? [A writer]

once asked this question: “Is Jesus only a legendary figure in his-

tory, a Saint to be painted in the stained glass of church win-

dows, . . . not to be approached and hardly to be mentioned by

name, or is he still what he was when he was in the flesh, a real-

ity, a man of like passions with ourselves, an elder brother, a

guide, a counselor, a comforter, a great voice calling to us out of

the past to live nobly, to guide bravely, and keep up our courage

to the last.” What is he to you, my fellow laborer? 5

Courage springs from faith and hope.

We have greater responsibility than ever to learn and to live

the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have greater tasks before us. The

final work is not all done yet. . . . We need courage to enter into

those new realms; we need courage to meet our present situa-

tions and conditions, and that is why I have chosen the text, “Be

of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that

hope in the Lord.” [Psalm 31:24.]

In this promise are two principles that should be cherished by

every truly religious man—faith and courage. What is implied in

this text? We know with assurance that the Lord is keeping faith

with his people; therefore, let none despair, but take courage

and their hope shall not be in vain. Faith in God, trust, confi-

dence in our fellowmen, the courage of our convictions, will

enable us eventually to achieve any righteous cause.6

With faith in an over-ruling power, in the personal, intimate

protection of our Father—and we like to consider him such, a

loving Father—let us face our difficulties with courage.7

C H A P T E R 1 8

174

Young people must develop courage to maintain spiritual values.

[Maintaining] our ideals is another field in which we can man-

ifest courage, and merit the approval of God in whom we trust.

These are times when men should keep their heads, and not be

swept from their moorings by every will-o’-the-wisp theory that is

offered as a panacea [or cure-all] of our present ills. The times

call for courageous youth to hold aloft the moral standard. In that

field we can find the truest moral courage. It is said that heroism

is concentrated courage. Well our greatest heroes are not always

found on the battle field. I think we find them also among our

youth. Young men and young women who, when put in social

groups, will stand up fearlessly and denounce those things which

we know sap the character, the very life energy of youth.

“Never was there a time in the history of the world,” says [one

writer], “when moral heroes were more needed. The world

waits for such. The providence of God has commanded science

to labor and prepare the way for such. For them she is laying her

iron tracks, and stretching her wires, and bridging the oceans.

But where are they? Who shall breathe into our civil and politi-

cal relations the breath of a higher life?” “The most important

thing in the world,” says a great scientist, “is not the discovery of

Galileo, Faraday, and others, but a belief in the reality of moral

and spiritual values.” I appeal to youth to be courageous in

maintaining the moral and spiritual values of the Gospel of Jesus

Christ. After all, “What is a man profited, if he shall gain the

whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in

exchange for his soul?” [Matthew 16:26.] 8

The aim of education is to develop resources in the child that

will contribute to his well-being as long as life endures; to

develop power of self-mastery that he may never be a slave to

indulgence or other weaknesses, to develop [strong] manhood,

beautiful womanhood that in every child and every youth may be

found at least the promise of a friend, a companion, one who

later may be fit for husband or wife, an exemplary father or a lov-

ing intelligent mother, one who can face life with courage, meet

disaster with fortitude, and face death without fear.9

Like Helaman’s young warriors, we should be “exceedingly valiant for courage, and

also for strength and activity” and “true at all times” (Alma 53:20).

I have read from the fifty-third chapter of Alma, which gives an

account of young men who were exceedingly valiant for

courage, for strength, and activity—men who were true at all

times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted. Who were these

young men? They were sons of parents who were equally true to

every trust. Their parents were converted Lamanites who, when

the Spirit of God came upon them, devoted their lives to the

service of their fellow men, and in their ministry in the Church

covenanted that they would never more take up arms against

their brethren, never more go to war. Such was their oath; such

was their covenant; and they were true to it even unto death.10

I appeal to the youth to be courageous in maintaining the

moral and spiritual values of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The

world needs moral heroes! 11

175

C H A P T E R 1 8

C H A P T E R 1 8

176

In the words of [one writer]: . . . “Two ways lie open for you—

one leading to an ever lower and lower plane, where are heard

the cries of despair . . . ; and the other leading to the highlands

of the morning where are heard the glad shouts of humanity and

where honest effort is rewarded with immortality.” . . .

In making the choice, . . . God give you clear vision, clear

seeing, strong wills, courageous hearts. Having chosen wisely,

may you walk with heads erect, with countenance open indicat-

ing that you have wronged no one. Even though the tasks of life

become heavy and sorrow weighs upon you, may the light of the

Christ life beckon you on still undismayed.12

With moral courage, we can overcome life’s adversities.

Courage is that quality of the mind which meets danger or

opposition with calmness and firmness, which enables a man to

face difficulties that lie in his pathway to righteous achievement.

. . . Courage implies facing difficulties and overcoming them.13

It is easy enough to do right when in good company, but it is

not easy to defend the right when the majority of the crowd are

opposing it; and yet, that is the time to show true courage. The

Prophet Joseph, for example, was reviled and persecuted for say-

ing that he had received a vision, but he always remained true to

his testimony. Though he “was hated and persecuted yet he said

it was true that God had spoken to him,” and “All the world

could not make him think or believe otherwise.” [See Joseph

Smith—History 1:24–25; italics added.]

Such is the courage and firmness everyone should have. When

one knows what is right one should always have the courage to

defend it even in the face of ridicule or punishment.14

Let us be courageous in defense of the right. Be not afraid to

speak out for the right. Let us be true.15

May God give us courage to choose the right, ability to appre-

ciate the good things of life, and power faithfully to serve Him

and our fellow men.16

Truth is loyalty to the right as we see it; it is courageous living

of our lives in harmony with our ideals; it is always power.17

C H A P T E R 1 8

177


• What is courage? (See page 176.) Why is moral courage more

important than physical courage? How can we increase or

strengthen our moral courage? How might we live the gospel

with quiet, daily courage?

• What are some examples from the scriptures of the Savior and

others showing perfect moral courage? (See pages 172–73.)

How has their example strengthened you?

• What is the relationship between faith and courage? (See page

173.) How does the Lord help us to face seemingly over-

whelming opposition? What must we do to receive His help?

• Discouragement is to lose one’s courage. Why is discourage-

ment such a dangerous tool of the adversary? How can we

guard against and overcome discouragement?

• What kinds of social or other situations require extraordinary

courage? How can Latter-day Saints show courage in these sit-

uations? How can we help and encourage the children and

youth of the Church to be courageous in maintaining gospel

standards? (See pages 174–76.) How can the publication For

the Strength of Youth help in this effort?

Related Scriptures: Deuteronomy 31:6; 2 Kings 6:16; Romans

15:13; 1 Nephi 3:7; D&C 121:7–9

Notes


2. In Conference Report, Apr. 1963, 95;story taken from James L. Gordon, TheYoung Man and His Problems.


4. Ancient Apostles (1918), 63–66; para-graphing altered.

5. In Conference Report, Oct. 1954, 84;paragraphing altered.







12. Whither Shall We Go? Brigham YoungUniversity Speeches of the Year, 10 May 1961, 7.


14. Ancient Apostles, 185; paragraphingaltered.

15. In Conference Report, Oct. 1968,145.



178

“True Christianity is love in action. . . . With faith, with kindness,

let your heart be filled with the desire to serve all mankind. The spirit of

the gospel comes from service in the good of others.”

C H A P T E R 1 9

The Divine Nature of Service

The noblest aim in life is to strive to live to make other lives better and happier.1

Introduction

President David O. McKay frequently taught that service to oth-

ers brings true happiness and that the Lord guides and blesses

those who serve. In 1921, one such instance of the Lord guiding

His servants occurred while Elder David O. McKay and Brother

Hugh J. Cannon were fulfilling an assignment from the First

Presidency to visit Church members throughout the world. One

part of their assignment was to visit the members of the Church

in Armenia. Because of the effects of World War I and difficult

conditions in the region, little was known about the state of

Church members there. Elder McKay recorded:

“In March 1921, we learned that on a special fast day, contri-

butions in the amount of several thousand dollars had been

made for relief of the destitute in Europe and the suffering

Armenians in Asia. We learned, too, that the First Presidency con-

templated sending a special messenger to Syria to render per-

sonal aid to our Armenian Saints.”

Because Elder McKay and Brother Cannon were not scheduled

to visit the Church members in Armenia until much later in their

trip, they continued their travels, visiting such areas as Australia,

New Zealand, and many islands. For several months, they heard

nothing about conditions in Armenia or whether anyone had been

sent with the relief funds. Finally, on 2 November 1921, while in

Jerusalem, they received word that a man named J. Wilford Booth

had been sent by Church headquarters to meet them. However,

no one knew his schedule or whereabouts. That day, Elder McKay

179

C H A P T E R 1 9

180

recorded in his diary, “We have no idea where he is, but shall leave

Jerusalem for Haifa, en route to Aleppo [Syria], tomorrow morn-

ing. Have concluded to go by auto through Samaria, visiting Bible

scenes.” Before leaving, Elder McKay and Brother Cannon

ascended the Mount of Olives, chose a secluded spot, and prayed

that the Lord would guide them on their trip.

After the prayer, Elder McKay recalled, “Upon returning to the

hotel, I felt strongly impressed that we should go by train and not

auto to Haifa.” Brother Cannon agreed, and they continued their

trip to Haifa, hoping to find Elder Booth there. Elder McKay

recorded: “Our greatest desire as we neared this mission was to

meet Elder Booth. Indeed, it seemed that our trip to Syria would

be useless unless we should meet him. We were strangers. We

knew no one. . . . We had some names and addresses; but we could

not read them, since they were written in the Turkish language.”

When Elder McKay and Brother Cannon arrived at the train sta-

tion, they were delayed in leaving the station as they tried to find

information on a suitable hotel. After the delay, Elder McKay

approached the station door just as another traveler did. The man

touched him on the shoulder and said, “Isn’t this Brother McKay?”

Elder McKay recorded the results of the encounter as follows:

“Astonished beyond expression to be thus addressed in so

strange a town, I turned, and recognized Elder Wilford Booth,

the one man above all others whom we were most desirous of

meeting. We had met, too, at the most opportune time and

place. . . . It could not have been better had we been planning it

for weeks! As we recounted to each other our experiences, we

had no doubt that our coming together was the result of divine

interposition. . . . Indeed, had it not been for our having met at

Haifa, our trip to the Armenian Mission would have been, so far

as human wisdom can tell, a total failure. As it was, among many

duties and experiences, we organized the Armenian Mission.”2


It is the Lord’s will that we serve one another.

The will of God is [that you] serve your fellowmen, benefiting

them, making this world better for your having lived in it. Christ

C H A P T E R 1 9

181

gave his all to teach us that principle. And he made the statement:

“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my

brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matt. 25:40.) This is the mes-

sage God has given to us. This Church is God’s Church, which is

so perfectly organized that every man and every woman, every

child, may have an opportunity to do something good for some-

body else. It is the obligation of our priesthood members, it is the

responsibility of the auxiliary organizations and of every member

to serve and do God’s will. If we do, and the more we do it, the

more we shall become convinced that it is the work of God,

because we are testing it. Then, by doing the will of God, we get

to know God and get close to him and to feel that life eternal is

ours. We shall feel to love humanity everywhere, and we can cry

out with the apostles of old, “We know that we have passed from

death unto life, because we love the brethren.” (1 John 3:14.)3

It has been said that “the race of mankind would perish if they

ceased to aid one another.” One man, from whom I quote, says

that “from the time that the mother binds the child’s head until

the moment that some kind assistant wipes the death-damp from

the brow of the dying, we cannot exist without mutual help.” . . .

The Church, with all its quorums and organizations, is God’s plan

for rendering mutual aid.4

There come to mind some . . . to whom I wish to express grat-

itude. . . . They are the men and women throughout the entire

Church who are contributing of their time and means to the

advancement of the truth—not just in teaching, but in genuine

service in many ways. Some of these are struggling to make their

own living. Some of them are wealthy men and women who

have retired and who count their wealth in millions. . . . God

bless those who are rendering such service, and bless you all, for

I think we can say for the Church, “We are striving to be one,

Father, as thou and thy Son are one.” 5

Are you willing to serve? Do you have the vision King Benjamin

had when he said, “. . . when ye are in the service of your fellow

beings, ye are only in the service of your God”? (Mosiah 2:17.) True

Christianity is love in action. There is no better way to manifest love

for God than to show an unselfish love for one’s fellowmen. . . .

C H A P T E R 1 9

182

. . . With faith, with kindness, let your heart be filled with the

desire to serve all mankind. The spirit of the gospel comes from

service in the good of others.6

Service brings happiness to the giver and the receiver.

Happiness is the end, really, of our existence. That happiness

comes most effectively through service to our fellow men.7

All mankind desire happiness. Many also strive sincerely to

make the most and best of themselves. Surprisingly few, however,

realize that a sure guide to such achievement may be found in the

following declaration by Jesus of Nazareth: “Whosoever will save

his life shall lose it: And whosoever will lose his life for my sake

shall find it.” [Matthew 16:25.] This significant passage contains a

secret more worthy of possession than fame or dominion, some-

thing more valuable than all the wealth of the world.

It is a principle the application of which promises to supplant

discouragement and gloom with hope and gladness; to fill life

with contentment and peace everlasting. This being true its

acceptance would indeed be a boon today to this distracted,

depression-ridden world. Why, then, do men and nations ignore

a thing so precious?

Is the truth in the paradoxical statement, losing one’s life to find

it, so elusive that mankind cannot grasp it? Or is it so in conflict

with the struggle for existence that men consider it impractical?

Even so, the fact remains that He who is “The Way, the Truth

and the Life” [see John 14:6] has herein set forth an immutable

law. . . .

Specifically stated, this law is, “We live our lives most com-

pletely when we strive to make the world better and happier.”

The law of pure nature, survival of the fittest, is self-preservation

at the sacrifice of all else; but in contrast to this the law of true

spiritual life is, deny self for the good of others. . . .

With this end in view, [thousands of] men and women, serving

willingly without salary, offer every week to [tens of thousands of]

children and youth instruction and guidance in character build-

ing and spiritual growth. In addition to this army of officers and

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183

teachers, . . . men ordained to the priesthood have accepted the

obligation to devote their time and talents as far as possible to the

scattering of sunshine, joy, and peace among their fellowmen.8

There is more spirituality expressed in giving than in receiving.

The greatest spiritual blessing comes from helping another. If you

want to be miserable, just harbor hate for a brother, and if you

want to hate, just do your brother some injury. But if you would

be happy, render a kind service, make somebody else happy.9

Let sincere men and women the world over unite in earnest

effort to supplant feelings of selfishness, hatred, animosity,

greed, by the law of service to others, and thereby promote the

peace and happiness of mankind.10

We need to follow the example of the Savior in rendering service.

When the Savior was about to leave his Apostles, he gave them

a great example of service. You remember he girded himself with

a towel and washed his disciples’ feet. Peter, feeling it was a

menial work for a servant, said, “. . . dost thou wash my feet? . . .

Thou shalt never wash my feet.”

The Savior answered “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part

with me.”

“Nay then,” said the chief Apostle, “Not my feet only, but also

my hands and my head.”

“He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is

clean every whit.

“What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know here-

after.” [See John 13:6–10.]

And then he washed his feet, and those of the others also.

Returning the basin to the side of the door, ungirding himself,

and putting on his robe, he returned to his position with the

Twelve, and said:

“Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

“If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye

also ought to wash one another’s feet.” [John 13:13–14.]

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184

What an example of service to those great servants, followers

of the Christ! He that is greatest among you, let him be least. So

we sense the obligation to be of greater service to the member-

ship of the Church, to devote our lives to the advancement of the

kingdom of God on earth.11

Just think! The only reason the world knows anything about

them [Jesus’ Apostles] is because having met the Savior, they

made Him their guide in life. If they hadn’t, nobody now would

know that such men had ever lived. They would have lived and

died and been forgotten just as thousands of other men in their

day lived and died and nobody knows or cares anything about

them; just as thousands and thousands are living today, wasting

their time and energy in useless living, choosing the wrong kind

of men for their ideals, turning their footsteps into the road of

Pleasure and Indulgence instead of the road of Service. Soon

they will reach the end of their journey in life, and nobody can

say that the world is any better for their having lived in it. At the

close of each day such men leave their pathway as barren as they

found it—they plant no trees to give shade to others, nor rose-

bushes to make the world sweeter and brighter to those who fol-

low—no kind deeds, no noble service—just a barren, unfruitful,

desert-like pathway, strewn, perhaps, with thorns and thistles.

Not so with the disciples who chose Jesus for their Guide.

Their lives are like gardens of roses from which the world may

pluck beautiful flowers forever.12

The most worthy calling in life . . . is that in which man can

serve best his fellow man. . . . The noblest aim in life is to strive

to live to make other lives better and happier.13


• Why does the Lord command us to serve one another? (See

pages 180–82.) What are some opportunities we have for

service within the Church? What kinds of service can we

render outside of formal Church callings?

• The Lord taught that “whosoever will save his life shall lose

it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find

185

Notes

1. Two Contending Forces, BrighamYoung University Speeches of the Year(18 May 1960), 7.

2. See Cherished Experiences from theWritings of President David O. McKay,comp. Clare Middlemiss, rev. ed.(1976), 101–4; paragraphing altered.










12. Ancient Apostles (1918), 5–6.

13. Two Contending Forces, 7.

C H A P T E R 1 9

it” (Matthew 16:25). What does this scripture have to do with

service? What eternal blessings come from selflessly serving

others? What is the difference between serving because we are

commanded to and serving because we want to? (See also

D&C 58:26.)

• What have you experienced as you have given of yourself in

service to others? How are happiness and service connected?

How does service help us overcome feelings of selfishness,

unhappiness, or depression? (See pages 182–83.) How can

service to others help us overcome unkind feelings toward

them?

• What impresses you about Jesus’ many examples of service?

(See pages 183–84.) What can we learn from Him as we strive

to serve others? Why is it important to seek divine guidance as

we serve?

• Why is it sometimes difficult to allow others to serve us? Why

is it important to graciously accept service? How have you or

your family been blessed by the service of others?

Related Scriptures: Matthew 25:40; Mark 8:35; Galatians 5:13;

Mosiah 4:15; D&C 18:10, 15–16

186

President McKay loved to teach the gospel. To his fellow teachers, he said:

“On with your noble work! There is none greater; none more righteous!

Yours is the joy promised by the Savior.”

C H A P T E R 2 0

Teaching, a Noble Work

God help our teachers to feel the responsibility that comes to them,and to remember

that responsibility is not measured alone by what they say, but by what they do. . . . Oh, how

mighty is the responsibility of a teacher!1

Introduction

President David O. McKay was a teacher most of his life. He ful-

filled this role in such capacities as missionary, schoolteacher,

administrator, Apostle, Church President, and father.

In a message directed primarily to priesthood holders, he shared

an experience that relates to all who have the opportunity to teach:

“The other day it was my privilege to drive through the fields

in my old home town. I passed through two farms up near the

mountain canal. I saw one that had yielded an exceptionally

good crop of oats. Notwithstanding the drought, the cold in the

spring, and other disadvantages, the farmer had [produced] an

excellent yield. Just over the fence was another oat field, but a

failure, comparatively speaking. I said to the man: ‘Why, what is

the matter? You must have planted poor seed.’

“ ‘No, it is the same seed that my neighbor has.’

“ ‘Well, then it was planted too late, and you did not have

enough moisture in the ground to bring it up.’

“ ‘It was sown the same afternoon that he sowed his.’

“Upon further inquiry, I learned that the first man had plowed

his in the fall; then he had disked it carefully in the spring, mak-

ing a mulch on the surface, and by such tilling had conserved the

moisture of the winter. His neighbor, on the other hand, had

plowed his late in the spring, had left the furrows unharrowed;

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188

the moisture had evaporated. Following the sowing of the seed

came four weeks or six weeks of [drought], and there was not suf-

ficient moisture to germinate the seed. The first man had made

preparation, the proper kind of preparation, and nature yielded

the increase. The second man labored hard, but his preparation

was poor; indeed, he had made inadequate preparation.”

President McKay used this story to illustrate the influence of

teachers. He said: “In God’s great garden have been placed over-

seers called teachers, and they are asked to nourish and to

inspire God’s children. I venture the thought that the Great

Gardener in looking over his fields can see some that are thriv-

ing in righteous activity and others are starving because of the

drought of neglected duty, of the chilling atmosphere of vanity,

or the blight of intemperance. Why? Perhaps because the gar-

deners, the overseers, had not made necessary preparations, or

performed their duty well.” 2

Whether referring to parents, classroom instructors, or home

teachers and visiting teachers, President McKay devoted much of

his ministry to helping Church members understand the great

importance and influence of effective teaching.


In the Church we have many opportunities to teach others and develop personal strength.

We are a Church of teachers. In the Latter-day Saint home the

father and mother are required to be teachers of the word—

expressly required so by the revelation of the Lord. Every auxiliary

organization, every quorum, is made up of a body of men and

women . . . who are in the ultimate sense of the word, teachers.3

I am grateful for membership in a Church whose religion fits

men for the struggle with the forces of the world and, which

enables them to survive in this struggle. One of these acting forces

is the responsibility of teaching, and the opportunity afforded in

this Church for so many to share this responsibility. . . .

Now in furnishing opportunity for so many to get the devel-

opment that comes to the true teacher, think what the Church is

C H A P T E R 2 0

189

doing to help this army of teachers as individuals to become

strong in the battle against the forces of the world!

First, it places upon them the obligation of teaching their fel-

low men by example; and there is no better safeguard placed

upon an honest man or a sincere woman.

Second, it develops the divine attribute of love for others.

Jesus said to one of his Apostles, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest

thou me more than these? . . . Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love

thee. . . . Feed my lambs.” ( John 21:15.) Love should precede

the responsibility of feeding those lambs. And these tens of thou-

sands of teachers must have in their hearts the love of teaching,

the love of fellow men, and a willingness to accept this respon-

sibility with the divine attribute of love.

Then there is a third requirement, namely: purity of life. I can-

not imagine one who has soiled himself, teaching successfully

purity to boys. I cannot imagine one who has doubt in his mind

about the existence of God, teaching impressively the existence

of a Deity to young boys and girls. He cannot do it. If he act the

hypocrite and attempt so to teach, what he is will speak louder

than what he says—and that is the danger of having doubting

men as teachers of your children. The poison sinks in, and

unconsciously they become sick in spirit, because of the poison

which the person in whom they have confidence has insidiously

instilled into their souls. The thought of teachers attempting to

teach youth faith in God, when they haven’t it, is irreconcilable

with consistency, if not indeed unthinkable. So the third qualifi-

cation is purity of life and faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Finally, it gives them an opportunity to serve their fellow men,

and therein magnify the calling which has come to them, and

indeed prove that they are real disciples of Christ.4

In the formation of character and guidance of childhood,

parental influence is greatest; next comes the teacher’s. . . .

“There is true nobility in the soul of that man or woman who sin-

cerely desires and strives to lead children out of contaminating

influences into an environment of high ideals and lofty

endeavor.”5

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190

Effective teachers prepare through study, faith, and prayer.

The great obligation upon a teacher is to be prepared to

teach. A teacher cannot teach others that which he himself does

not know. He cannot make his students feel what he does not

feel himself. He cannot attempt to lead a young man or young

woman to obtain a testimony of the gospel of God if the teacher

does not have that testimony himself or herself.

There are three things which must guide all teachers: first, get

into the subject; second, get that subject into you; third, try to

lead your pupils to get the subject into them—not pouring it

into them, but leading them to see what you see, to know what

you know, to feel what you feel.

Every teacher must be prepared on his or her lesson when he

or she meets those boys and girls of the class; for, mind you,

your presentation of that lesson, your attitude toward the truth

in that lesson will largely determine the boys’ and girls’ attitude

toward it and their attitude toward Church activity in general. If

you turn them away after class with the feeling in their youthful

hearts that they have received nothing by coming, you will find

difficulty in getting them to come back the following week. But

on the other hand, if you have thrilled them, or if unable to do

that, if you have given them one thought which has appealed to

them, you will find that their intention and desire to return will

be manifest by their presence one week later. . . .

Simply reading the lesson manual before time is not enough. In

so doing I have not yet made that lesson mine, and until it is mine,

until I feel that I have a message to give to my class members, I am

not prepared as the Lord has asked me to prepare when he calls

upon me to give his word. It must be mine; what I want to give to

the boys and girls is what will count when I meet them. I can make

that lesson in a manual mine by study, faith, and prayer.6

To give a lesson well prepared is like mercy—it blesses him

that gives and him that receives. It is true in teaching as in life—

“Give to the world the best you have, and the best will come

back to you.”. . .

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191

. . . Teachers, begin the preparation of your lessons in prayer.

Teach your lessons with a prayerful heart. Then pray that God

will enrich your message in the souls of your children through

the influence of his holy Spirit.7

Order and reverence in Church classrooms help youngpeople learn respect and self-control.

I believe that discipline in the classroom, which implies self-

control, and which connotes consideration for others, is the

most important part of teaching. . . .

The best lesson a child can learn is self-control, and to feel his

relationship to others to the extent that he must have respect for

their feelings. . . .

A disorderly environment, one in which disrespect is shown

to the teacher and to fellow pupils, is one that will stifle the most

important qualities in character.8

Our classrooms are sometimes places of boisterousness. Here

is where we need good teachers. A teacher who can present a

lesson interestingly will have good order, and when he or she

finds students who are rebellious, flipping papers, paying no

attention, stumbling, kicking one another, he or she may know

that the lesson is not being properly presented. Perhaps it was

not even properly prepared. . . .

In the classrooms children should be taught, should be free to

discuss, free to speak, free to participate in classwork, but no

member of the class has the right to distract another student by

jostling or making light and frivolous remarks. And I think in this

Church, in the priesthood quorums and classes and in auxil-

iaries, teachers and [leaders] ought not to permit it. Disorder

injures the child who makes it. He should learn that when he is

in society there are certain things which he cannot do with

impunity. He cannot trespass upon the rights of his associates.

Let children learn this lesson in youth because when they get

out in society and try to trespass against the law, they will feel the

restraining hand and probably suffer punishment.

Good order in the classroom is essential to instill into the

hearts and lives of young men and young women the principle

191

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192

of self-control. They want to talk and they want to whisper, but

they cannot do it because it will disturb somebody else. Learn

the power and lesson of self-mastery.9

The Sunday School looks forward to the time when in every

class in the Sunday School the principles of punctuality, cour-

tesy, self-control, respect for authority, studiousness, responsive-

ness, and, particularly, reverence and worship, will . . . [fill] the

atmosphere.10

In our efforts to teach truth, Jesus Christ is our great Exemplar.

In the realm of personality, in the kingdom of character, Christ

was supreme. By personality, I mean all that may be included in

individuality. Personality is a gift from God. It is indeed a pearl of

great price, an eternal blessing.

Fellow teachers, you and I cannot hope to exert, even to a

small degree, the personality of our great Teacher, Jesus Christ.

Each one’s personality may be to the Savior’s only as one little

sunbeam to the mighty sun itself; and yet, though infinitely less

in degree, each teacher’s personality should be the same in kind.

In the realm of character, each teacher may be superior and be

such a magnet as will draw around him in an indescribable way

those whom he would teach.

But no matter how attractive his personality may be to the

members of the class, that teacher fails in his work who directs the

love of the child only to the teacher’s personality. It is the teacher’s

duty to teach the child to love—not the teacher only, but the truth

also. Always, everywhere, we find Christ losing himself for his

Father’s will; and so the teacher, so far as his personality is con-

cerned, should lose himself for the truth he desires to teach.11

The teacher must know whom she teaches, to be able to dis-

cern, to a degree at least, the mentality and capability of the mem-

bers of her class. She should be able to read the facial expressions

and be responsive to the mental and spiritual attitude of those

whom she is teaching. The Great Teacher had this power of dis-

cernment in perfection. He could read the hidden thoughts and

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193

interpret the very feelings of the persons whom He taught. In the

acquisition of this power the sincere teacher may approach Him

only partially. Too few teachers develop this gift, even to a neces-

sary degree; notwithstanding every teacher has the responsibility

of determining how best to approach the members of the class in

order to make appeals that will be lasting.12

Use the things around you. Show the example of the Great

Teacher who sat with his disciples and looked down on the farm-

ers putting in their spring grain. He said, “Some seed fell on good

ground, some on stony ground.” [See Mark 4:3–8.] There was a

lesson of life. The woman of Samaria who came to quench her

thirst at the well is another example. Jesus told her that the water

he would give her would be a well of water springing up into

everlasting life [see John 4:14]. Gather in experiences, and then

illustrate each point. I think that is a lesson to every teacher—you

who have a lesson to prepare—not a speech, but a message.13

Worthy servants of Christ, you are! Teachers! Followers of the

true Teacher, the great Exemplar of all! On with your noble

work! There is none greater; none more righteous! Yours is the

joy promised by the Savior.14


• What are a teacher’s responsibilities? (See pages 188–91.) Why

is it important that gospel teachers have personal testimonies?

• What blessings have you received as you have taught the

gospel? How has your life been blessed or changed by faithful,

effective teachers?

• In what ways does a well-prepared lesson influence both

teacher and student? (See pages 190–91.) What are some of

the ways that teachers can prepare? (See pages 190–91.) What

resources are available in the Church for the improvement

of teaching?

• What can we do to promote order and respect in Church class-

rooms? (See pages 191–92.) How do young people benefit

when there is order in the classroom? What can parents do to

support teachers in their efforts to maintain orderly classrooms?

C H A P T E R 2 0

194

• What is the difference between “teaching a lesson” and teaching

people? How did the Savior exemplify this skill? What else can

we learn from Jesus Christ’s example as the Master Teacher?

(See pages 192–93.)

• What can a teacher do to ensure that class members love “not

the teacher only, but the truth also”?

• How can we use President McKay’s counsel to improve the

teaching in our homes? What ways have you found to effec-

tively teach your children?

Related Scriptures: John 21:15–17; 3 Nephi 27:21; D&C 11:21;

42:14; 88:77–80, 118; 132:8

Notes

1. “The Teacher,” Improvement Era, Sept.1951, 622.


3. “ ‘That You May Instruct MorePerfectly,’ ” Improvement Era, Aug.1956, 557.

4. “The Teacher,” 621–22.


6. “ ‘That You May Instruct MorePerfectly,’ ” 557.


8. Man May Know for Himself: Teachingsof President David O. McKay, comp.Clare Middlemiss (1967), 337–38.



11. “To the Teacher,” Improvement Era,Aug. 1955, 557.

12. True to the Faith: From the Sermonsand Discourses of David O. McKay,comp. Llewelyn R. McKay (1966), 251.

13. “We Believe in Being True . . . ,”Improvement Era, Sept. 1959, 647.


C H A P T E R 2 1

The First Principles andOrdinances of the Gospel

I know the gospel is divine, and the world needs it.1

Introduction

President David O. McKay was always kind and respectful to

people of other faiths, and he praised the good work of all

churches. However, he was firm in his testimony that the fulness

of the gospel is found only in The Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints. To teach the importance of obeying the prin-

ciples and ordinances of the restored gospel, he spoke of mem-

bership in the Church as citizenship in a great kingdom:

“All churches and all creeds contain some good which lead

toward the kingdom of our Father; but to become a citizen of

that kingdom everyone must conform to the requirements made

by the King. Indeed, there is only one way in which entrance

into the Church of Jesus Christ may be obtained, and that is the

way marked out by Jesus Christ, the Lord. ‘I am the way, the

truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’

( John 14:6.)

“The means of obtaining citizenship in the Church of Jesus

Christ are very explicit; so clear, indeed, that it is surprising that

so many seemingly intelligent and well-read people . . . [assume]

that they can gain entrance by other and various means.

“There is only one who has the right to prescribe the means

of human salvation. Surely he spoke not meaninglessly when he

said what is necessary to citizenship in his kingdom.

“Note how explicit are his words: ‘Except a man be born

again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ [John 3:3; italics

added.] In explanation of this seemingly enigmatical saying to

Nicodemus, the Master continued:

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C H A P T E R 2 1

196

“ ‘Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot

enter into the kingdom of God.’ [John 3:5; italics added.]

“Evidently Peter, the chief Apostle, attached significance to this

requirement as an essential means of gaining not only citizenship

in the Church, but also salvation in the kingdom of God, for,

when the multitude pricked in their hearts cried out, ‘Men and

brethren, what shall we do?’ [Acts 2:37] he answered and said:

“ ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus

Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the

Holy Ghost.’ (Acts 2:38.) Thus are given the four requirements, the

four essential principles and ordinances, obedience to which are

essential to membership in Christ’s Church: [namely,] faith, repen-

tance, baptism, and the reception of the Holy Ghost. . . .

“There are many roads being pointed out as leading to the

kingdom of God, but there is only one gate through which

entrance and citizenship therein may be obtained. Christ plainly

pointed this out when he was among men; and he has again

revealed it through the Prophet Joseph Smith. The way is simple

and easy to find, and as infinitely sublime as it is eternal.

“There are many roads . . . leading sincere people toward the

church and kingdom of God, but those who would participate in

the privileges and blessings of citizenship therein must obey the

principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” 2


Faith in Jesus Christ is the most fundamental principle of the Church.

An unwavering faith in Christ is the most important need of

the world today.3

What does it mean to keep the faith? It means first, that we

accept Jesus Christ, not merely as a great teacher, a powerful

leader, but as the Savior, the Redeemer of the world. . . . He who

keeps the faith will accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the

Redeemer of the world. I would have all men keep that faith. I

think it is fundamental to man’s happiness, fundamental to his

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197

peace of mind. I think it is the cardinal principle of the Church

of Jesus Christ.4

It is such faith as must have sustained the eleven Apostles and

at least seventy disciples who met Christ after the resurrection.

In their minds there was absolutely no doubt of his personality.

They were witnesses of the fact. They knew because their eyes

beheld, their ears heard, their hands felt the corporeal [bodily]

presence of the risen Redeemer.

It is that unwavering faith which brought forth this glorious

vision given to the Prophet Joseph Smith:

“And now, after the many testimonies which have been given

of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him:

That he lives!

“For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we

heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of

the Father—

“That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are

and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons

and daughters unto God.” (D&C 76:22–24.)

Those who have such assurance in their hearts accept him as

“The Way, the Truth, and the Life,” as the one safe guide in this

perplexing universe.5

Faith in the Gospel is the first step toward true knowledge,

and leads thru sacrifice, to wisdom and happiness.6

Faith in God cannot of course be other than personal. It must

be yours; it must be mine; and, to be effective, must spring from

the mind and heart.7

What we need today is faith in the living Christ, which is more

than a mere feeling, but a power that moves us to action—a faith

that will put purpose into life and courage into the heart. We

need the gospel of application.8

The Church does not accept the doctrine that a mere mur-

mured belief in Jesus Christ is all that is essential to salvation. A

man may say he believes but if he does nothing to make that

belief or faith a moving power to do, to accomplish, to produce

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198

soul growth, his protestation will avail him nothing. “Work out

your own salvation” is an exhortation to demonstrate by activity,

by thoughtful obedient effort the reality of faith.9

Repentance involves a change of life, thought, and action.

It is inconceivable to think that anyone can even question the

essentiality of repentance. Every principle of the gospel when

studied carefully reveals a harmony with truth that is simply sub-

lime. Each seems to be all comprehensive, either leading into or

embracing other principles. Thus, faith in a perfect being, inspir-

ing one to live righteously, seems to include repentance.10

The message of [the Church] is to help men recognize their

weaknesses and to help man overcome those sins and weak-

nesses. Here we have not time to discuss what sin is, but John

Wesley’s mother [John Wesley was a noted theologian] reputedly

has given us this:

“Would you judge of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of pleas-

ure? Take this rule: Now note—whatever weakens your reason,

impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense

of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, whatever

increases the authority of the body over the mind, that thing is

sin to you, however innocent it may seem in itself.”

The message of [missionaries] who are going in all parts of the

world, the message of the Church to all the world is: Repent of

those things which contribute to the superiority of the physical

senses over our love for spirituality. That is why they cry repen-

tance! What does repentance mean? A change of life, a change of

thought, a change of action. If you have been angry and hateful,

change that hatred and enmity to love and consideration. If you

have cheated a brother, let your conscience smite you and

change that, and ask his forgiveness, and never do it again. In

thus changing your life from those things which are on the ani-

mal plane, you repent of your sins. If you profane Deity, never

do it again! Instead of profaning his name, worship him! And

once that feeling of change comes to the soul, you desire to be

born again, to have a new life. . . .

C H A P T E R 2 1

“Repentance is the turning away from that which is low

and the striving for that which is higher.”

199

This changing of life, this repenting is what the world needs.

It is a change of heart. Men must change their way of thinking!

Change their way of feeling! Instead of hating and fighting and

crushing one another, they should learn to love!11

Repentance is the turning away from that which is low and the

striving for that which is higher. As a principle of salvation, it

involves not only a desire for that which is better, but also a sor-

row—not merely remorse—but true sorrow for having become

contaminated in any degree with things sinful, vile, or con-

temptible.

It is not uncommon for people to have remorse for mistakes

made, for follies and sins committed, but to have no turning

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away from such frailties and evils. They may even feel penitent;

but “penitence,” we are told, “is transient, and may involve no

change of character or conduct.” Repentance, on the other hand,

“is sorrow for sin with self-condemnation, and complete turning

away from the sin.” It is, therefore, more than mere remorse; “it

comprehends a change of nature befitting heaven.” 12

True faith and repentance lead to baptism.

When an applicant for baptism stood at the water’s edge,

before being buried with Christ in baptism, he possessed an

implicit faith that the Church of Jesus Christ is established upon

the earth, and that this organization is the best in the world

today for the fostering of spiritual life, for the attaining of true

religious development, for the salvation of the soul.

I repeat that this implicit faith was within him; and with that,

there was a true repentance, and that repentance carried with it

a desire to leave off everything in the past life that was contrary

to the teachings of the gospel or the Church. His old life, and the

sins, if there were any connected with it, he truly repented of. He

looked forward to the time when he would be born anew in the

kingdom of God. He was about to go through the ordinance of

baptism, typical of the burial of his old life, and with it all the

imperfections, the frailties, the evils, the sins that accompanied

that old living. He was to be buried by baptism, that as Christ was

raised from the dead by the power and the glory of the Father, so

he might come forth in newness of life, a member of the Church

of God, a child of the Father, a citizen in the kingdom of Christ.

By baptism he was born again, and became a fit recipient of the

Holy Spirit. His body came forth anew, and the Holy Ghost was

bestowed upon him; he was confirmed a member of the Church

of Jesus Christ. That is where we all stood at one time. Those

were our feelings, our faith, our hope.13

To Nicodemus Jesus said, “Except a man be born of water and of

the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” ( John 3:5.)

To the members of the Church, Paul and Peter wrote, “For ye

are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of

you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Gal.

C H A P T E R 2 1

201

3:26–27.) “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now

save us . . . by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 3:21.)

In these three instances we have set forth clearly the threefold

purpose of the ordinance of baptism, [namely]:

(1) A rite established by God himself and associated with the

eternal principle of righteousness, compliance with the law,

therefore, being established to man’s salvation.

(2) An initiatory ordinance—the gateway leading to member-

ship in the fold of Christ.

(3) A beautiful and sublime symbol typifying the burial of the

“former” man with all his weaknesses and impurities, and the

coming forth into a newness of life.

The ordinance of baptism is a law of God, obedience to which,

in sincerity, in purity, in simplicity, brings inevitably the promised

blessing of the Comforter, a divine Guide. . . . Though men may

scoff at it, ridicule it, and doubt its efficacy, baptism remains ever,

even in its simplicity, not only one of the most beautiful symbols

known, but also one of the most effective laws operating for the

salvation of man.14

God help us all to proclaim to the world the necessity of

repentance, the importance of baptism, first to fulfil all righ-

teousness, second as the entrance into the kingdom of God, the

doorway into his Church, and third to bury our old life and be

guided by his holy spirit.15

After we sincerely exercise faith, repent, and are baptized, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Only those who sincerely believe in Jesus Christ as the

Redeemer of the World and who repent of their sins receive the

Holy Ghost. Those who are baptized without faith and repen-

tance are mere pretenders.16

The channel of communication is open, and the Lord is ready

to guide, and does guide, his people. . . . The testimony of the

Holy Ghost is a special privilege. It is like tuning in the radio and

hearing a voice on the other side of the world. Men who are not

within that radiation cannot hear it, but we hear it, and we are

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entitled to that voice and the guidance of it. It will come to us if

we do our part.17

God help us all to keep our consciences clear, our characters

sound, responsive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit, which is

real, if we shall but put our ears and listen to it.18

I testify to you that divine inspiration is a reality. Men and

women who obey the principles of life and salvation, sincerely

repent of their sins, and as sincerely strive to live in accordance

with the principles of the gospel, are guided and inspired by the

Holy Ghost, and are shown things to come. I testify that that

guidance is with this Church and has been since the Prophet

Joseph Smith established it.19

The Latter-day Saints have learned the truth that the everlast-

ing Gospel has been restored. And what does this knowledge

bring to them? It brings to all, who have honestly and sincerely

obeyed the principles of repentance and baptism, the gift of the

Holy Ghost, which enlightens their minds, quickens their under-

standings, and imparts unto them a knowledge of Christ.

The Latter-day Saints have a guide, a help, a means to assist in

their acquisition of truth, in their desire to know what their duty

is, that the world does not possess. And this guide is necessary;

man cannot find out truth; he cannot find out God by intellect

alone. It has been said that no man can find out God by a micro-

scope. Reason alone is not a sufficient guide in searching for

truth. There is another, higher, more sure guide than reason. . . .

[Faith is] that principle which draws our spirit into commun-

ion with the Higher Spirit which will bring all things to our

remembrance, show us things to come, and teach us all things.

To acquire that Spirit is the responsibility of the Latter-day Saint

who would know truth.20


• What is faith in Jesus Christ? (See pages 196–98.) Why is faith

in Jesus Christ the fundamental principle of the gospel? (See

pages 196–98.) What must we do to develop and strengthen

our faith in Him?

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203

• In what ways can we put our faith in Jesus Christ into action?

How have you been blessed as you have exercised such faith

in Jesus Christ?

• Why does true faith in Jesus Christ lead to repentance? How is

repentance more than simply stopping a certain behavior?

(See pages 198–200.) What must we do to completely repent

of our sins? What are the risks of failing to repent?

• What is the symbolism of the ordinance of baptism? (See pages

200–201.) What covenant or promise do we make at baptism?

What does the Lord promise in return? How can we remember

our baptismal covenant and continue to enjoy the blessings

associated with it?

• What is the mission of the Holy Ghost? (See pages 201–2.)

What is required of us to be in tune with the promptings of

the Holy Ghost? (See pages 201–2.) Why is receiving the gift of

the Holy Ghost necessary to return to our Father in Heaven?

• How can we recognize when we are being guided by the Holy

Ghost? What experiences have you had in which you were

guided by inspiration from the Holy Ghost?

Related Scriptures: John 14:26; James 2:14–20; 2 Nephi 2:21;

32:5; Mosiah 18:8–10; Alma 32:21; Moroni 10:5; D&C 11:13–14;

58:43; 121:26

Notes






6. Ancient Apostles (1918), 258.










16. Ancient Apostles, 92.

17. Cherished Experiences from theWritings of President David O.McKay, comp. Clare Middlemiss, rev.ed. (1976), 128; paragraphing altered.




204

Because Heavenly Father has given us the gift of agency,

we can choose to follow Jesus Christ.

C H A P T E R 2 2

Agency and Responsibility

What you make of yourself depends upon you as an individual. You are in this world to

choose the right or the wrong, to accept the right or yield to temptation. Upon that choice

will depend the development of the spiritual part of you. That is fundamental in the

gospel of Jesus Christ.1

Introduction

President David O. McKay served for more than six decades as

a General Authority, and during this time he witnessed many

notable events in the world’s history. He saw global upheaval,

including two world wars, widespread regional conflicts, and the

rise of superpower nations on the brink of nuclear war. He also

lived through significant economic and social changes, such as

the Great Depression and the world’s growing acceptance of

instant gratification through promiscuity and illicit drugs. As an

inspired witness of history, he spoke to Church members many

times about agency and individual responsibility. In a conference

address given after the United States had entered World War I,

Elder McKay (then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve

Apostles) spoke of the tragic events that encompassed the world:

“I do not believe that God has caused the misery, the famine,

the pestilence, and the death that are now sweeping the war-

torn countries of Europe. I do believe that the conditions of the

world today are a direct result—an inevitable result, of disobe-

dience to God’s laws. . . . Men may choose the right or they may

choose the wrong; they may walk in darkness or they may walk

in the light; and, mind you, God has not left his children with-

out the light. He has given them in the various dispensations of

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206

the world the light of the gospel wherein they could walk and

not stumble, wherein they could find that peace and happiness

which he desires, as a loving Father, his children should enjoy,

but the Lord does not take from them their free agency.” 2

Although President McKay recognized the tragedies that can

occur when people choose evil, he remained ever grateful for

the gift of agency. He understood the blessings that come from

righteous choices, and he reminded those he taught that the

freedom to choose is an essential part of the plan of salvation. In

his discourses on the subject of agency, he often referred to it as

“God’s greatest gift to man.”


The eternal gift of agency allows us to progress and gain exaltation.

Free agency is the impelling source of the soul’s progress. It

is the purpose of the Lord that man become like him. In order

for man to achieve this it was necessary for the Creator first to

make him free.3

There is a significant reference in the [book of Revelation] to

“a war in heaven.” (Rev. 12:7.) It is not only significant, but seem-

ingly contradictory, for we think of heaven as a celestial abode of

bliss, an impossible condition [for] war and contention [to]

exist. The passage is significant because it implies a freedom of

choice and of action in the spirit world. In the Pearl of Great

Price we are given this account: “Wherefore, because that Satan

rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man,

which I the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give

unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only

Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;

“And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies,

to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will,

even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.” (Moses

4:3–4; italics added.)

Two things you will note in that passage: one, that Satan

was determined to destroy the free agency of man. Free

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207

agency is a gift of God. It is part of his divinity. The second

point is that he desired to supplant God. I quote, “Give me thy

glory.” [See Moses 4:1.]

The world does not comprehend the significance of that

divine gift to the individual. It is as inherent as intelligence

which, we are told, has never been nor can be created [see

D&C 93:29].4

Freedom of the will and the responsibility associated with it

are fundamental aspects of Jesus’ teachings. Throughout his

ministry he emphasized the worth of the individual, and exem-

plified what is now expressed in modern revelation as the work

and glory of God—“To bring to pass the immortality and eternal

life of man.” [Moses 1:39.] Only through the divine gift of soul

freedom is such progress possible.

Force, on the other hand, emanates from Lucifer himself. Even

in man’s [premortal] state, Satan sought power to compel the

human family to do his will by suggesting that the free agency of

man be inoperative. If his plan had been accepted, human

beings would have become mere puppets in the hands of a dic-

tator, and the purpose of man’s coming to earth would have

been frustrated. Satan’s proposed system of government, there-

fore, was rejected, and the principle of free agency established.5

Although God has created the universe and all therein, “man

is the jewel of God.” This is just another way of saying that the

earth was created for man and not man for the earth. God gave

to man part of his divinity. He gave man the power of choice, and

no other creature in the world has it. So he placed upon the

individual the obligation of conducting himself as an eternal

being. You cannot think of any greater gift that could come to a

man or woman than the freedom of choice. You alone are

responsible, and by wielding and exercising that freedom of

choice, you grow in character, you grow in intelligence, you

approach divinity, and eventually you may achieve that high exal-

tation. That is a great obligation. Very few people appreciate it.

The roads are clearly marked—one offering animal existence,

the other life abundant. Yet, God’s greatest creation—man—

often is content to grovel on the animal plane.6

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208

Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct that life is

God’s greatest gift to man. . . . Freedom of choice is more to be

treasured than any possession earth can give. It is inherent in the

spirit of man. It is a divine gift. . . . Whether born in abject

poverty or shackled at birth by inherited riches, everyone has

this most precious of all life’s endowments—the gift of free

agency; man’s inherited and inalienable right.7

References in the Scriptures show that [agency] is (1) essential

to man’s salvation; and, (2) may become a measuring rod by which

the actions of men, of organizations, of nations may be judged.

“Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are

free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death

or the way of eternal life.” (2 Nephi 10:23.) 8

With agency comes personal responsibility to fulfill the “true purpose of life.”

The responsibility is upon each individual to choose the path

of righteousness, of faithfulness and duty to fellowmen. If he

[chooses] otherwise, and as a result [meets] failure, misery and

death, he alone is to blame. As President [Brigham] Young said

on one occasion:

“If Brother Brigham should take a wrong track and be shut

out of the kingdom of heaven, no person will be to blame but

Brother Brigham. I am the only being in heaven, earth, or hell,

that can be blamed.

“This will equally apply to every Latter-day Saint. Salvation is an

individual operation. . . . When salvation is sent to me, I can reject

or receive it. In receiving it, I yield implicit obedience and sub-

mission to its great Author throughout my life, and to those whom

he shall appoint to instruct me; in rejecting it, I follow the dictates

of my own will in preference to the will of my Creator.” [See

Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe (1954), 390.]9

With free agency there comes responsibility. If a man is to be

rewarded for righteousness and punished for evil, then common

justice demands that he be given the power of independent

action. A knowledge of good and evil is essential to man’s

progress on earth. If he were coerced to do right at all times, or

C H A P T E R 2 2

“Actions in harmony with divine law and the laws of nature will bring happiness,

and those in opposition to divine truth, misery.”

209

were helplessly enticed to commit sin, he would merit neither a

blessing for the first nor punishment for the second. . . .

. . . Man’s responsibility is correspondingly operative with his

free agency. Actions in harmony with divine law and the laws of

nature will bring happiness, and those in opposition to divine

truth, misery. Man is responsible not only for every deed, but

also for every idle word and thought. Said the Savior:

“. . . every idle word that men shall speak they shall give

account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36.)10

Earth in all its majesty and wonder is not the end and purpose

of creation. “. . . my glory,” says the Lord himself, “(is) to bring

to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39.)

And man in exercising the divine gift of free agency should feel

in duty bound, should sense the obligation to assist the Creator

in the accomplishment of this divine purpose.

The true end of life is not mere existence, not pleasure, not

fame, not wealth. The true purpose of life is the perfection of

humanity through individual effort, under the guidance of God’s

inspiration.11

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210

There are a few simple but fundamental things which everyone

can do. One of these is for each individual to work out his own sal-

vation. An outstanding doctrine of the Church is that each indi-

vidual carries this responsibility, and that the salvation of man is a

process of gradual development. . . . We should seek the strength

and grace of God for inspiration to obtain the final victory.

However, to work out one’s salvation is not to sit idly by,

dreaming and yearning for God miraculously to thrust bounteous

blessings into our laps. It is to perform daily, hourly, momentar-

ily, if necessary, the immediate task or duty at hand, and to con-

tinue happily in such performance as the years come and go,

leaving the fruits of such labors either to self or to others to be

bestowed as a just and beneficent Father may determine.

I am not unmindful of the scripture that declares, “By grace

are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a

gift of God.” [See Ephesians 2:8.] That is absolutely true, for

man in his taking upon himself mortality was [powerless] to

save himself. When left to grope in a natural state, he would

have become, and did become “carnal, sensual and devilish by

nature.” [Alma 42:10.] But the Lord through His grace

appeared to man, gave him the Gospel or eternal plan

whereby he might rise above the carnal and selfish things of

life and obtain spiritual perfection.

But he must rise by his own efforts and he must walk by faith.12

Choosing to obey gospel principles brings happiness, peace, and salvation.

Conformity to the Lord’s word or law will invariably con-

tribute to man’s happiness and salvation. Those who do not

what the Lord commands, we are told, will be subjected to jus-

tice and judgment. In other words, there is eternally operative in

the moral world a law of compensation and retribution—com-

pensation commensurate with conformity to law; retribution in

actual degree to the extent of disobedience.13

The peace of Christ does not come by seeking the superficial

things of life, neither does it come except as it springs from the

individual’s heart. Jesus said to His disciples: “Peace I leave with

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211

you. My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I

unto you.” [John 14:27.] Thus the Son of Man as the executor of

his own will and testament gave to his disciples and to mankind

the “first of all human blessings.” It was a bequest conditioned

upon obedience to the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is thus bequeathed to each individual. No man is at peace with

himself or his God who is untrue to his better self, who trans-

gresses the law of right either in dealing with himself by

indulging in passion, in appetite, yielding to temptations against

his accusing conscience, or in dealing with his fellowmen, being

untrue to their trust. Peace does not come to the transgressor of

law; peace comes by obedience to law, and it is that message

which Jesus would have us proclaim among men.14

Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, has given us the means

whereby man may obtain eternal happiness and peace in the

kingdom of our Father, but man must work out his own salva-

tion through obedience to the eternal principles and ordinances

of the gospel.15

As members of society, we should appreciate freedom and promote the responsible use of it.

Freedom of speech, freedom of action within boundaries that

do not infringe upon the liberty of others are . . . divine gifts

“essential to human dignity and human happiness.” 16

Liberty may be either helpful or fatal according to the use

made of it. . . . “Liberty is an atmosphere of the higher life. . . .

Liberty?—it is respect. . . . Men must be made capable and wor-

thy of [liberty], otherwise public life becomes impossible.” 17

True liberty in individuals consists in the enjoying of every

right that will contribute to one’s peace and happiness, so long

as the exercise of such a privilege does not interfere with the

same privilege in others. It consists not in doing what one likes

to do, but in doing what one ought to do. It is the right of each

individual to be master of his own time and actions consistent

with fairness and justice to his fellow men and with harmony

with the laws of God. . . . It is freedom of choice, a divine gift, an

essential virtue in a peaceful society.18

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212

In these days of uncertainty and unrest, liberty-loving people’s

greatest responsibility and paramount duty is to preserve and pro-

claim the freedom of the individual, his relationship to Deity, and

. . . the necessity of obedience to the principles of the gospel of

Jesus Christ—only thus will mankind find peace and happiness.19

If we would make the world better, let us foster a keener

appreciation of . . . freedom and liberty.20


• Why did God give us agency? (See pages 206–8.) Why did

Satan want to deprive us of our agency? (See pages 206–7.)

• In what ways does Satan continue to try to influence our

agency? How can we resist those attempts?

• What guidance has the Lord provided to help us use our

agency righteously? What counsel could you give someone

who is struggling to discern between right and wrong?

• In what ways can parents teach and train their children until

they are mature enough to decide for themselves? How can

we honor the agency of family members and at the same time

help them make correct decisions? How can we help family

members understand the consequences of their decisions?

• President McKay taught that life’s purpose is “the perfection of

humanity through individual effort, under the guidance of

God’s inspiration” (page 209). How can agency help us fulfill

this divine purpose? (See pages 208–10.) What are our indi-

vidual responsibilities in exercising our agency? (See pages

208–10.)

• How are personal agency and the Atonement of Jesus Christ

related?

• How does our righteous use of agency make us free?

• How can we help preserve liberty and promote the respon-

sible use of individual freedoms? (See pages 211–12.)

Related Scriptures: Joshua 24:15; 2 Nephi 2:14–16, 26–28; Alma

5:40–42; Helaman 14:30–31; D&C 58:26–28; 130:20–21;

Abraham 3:24–28

C H A P T E R 2 2

213

Notes1. In Conference Report, Apr. 1967,

134–35.

















18. True to the Faith: From the Sermonsand Writings of David O. McKay,comp. Llewelyn R. McKay (1966), 139.



214

“There has been but one perfect character in this world—the peerless personality of

Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world. No man can do better

than to accept Christ as the great Exemplar and the safest Guide.”

C H A P T E R 2 3

Developing a Christlike Character

Man’s chief concern in life should not be the acquiring of gold, or of fame, or of material possessions. It should not be the development

of physical prowess, nor of intellectual strength, but his aim, the highest in life, should be

the development of a Christ-like character.1

Introduction

President David O. McKay understood the importance of devel-

oping a righteous character patterned after that of the Savior.

This was evident in both his public and his private life. His son

Robert once said of him, “In all of my years of close association

in the home, on the farm, in business, in the Church, there has

never been shown to me one action nor one word, even while

training a self-willed horse, which would throw any doubt in my

mind that he should be and finally did become the representa-

tive and prophet of our Heavenly Father.” 2

President McKay taught that the building of a Christlike char-

acter is an ongoing, daily process for which each of us must take

responsibility. To illustrate this principle for the youth, he

described an occasion when he visited a sculptor’s yard in

Florence, Italy: “Scattered about were unbroken, irregular pieces

of granite from which a sculptor was preparing to cut out a

vision which he saw in his mind. . . .

“If you had stood in that yard, and a man had placed in your

hands a chisel and a hammer, would you have dared to take one

of the shapeless blocks of stone and carve a human image out of

it? You could not do it. Or if someone had placed before you a

canvas and given you paints and put in your hands a brush, would

215

C H A P T E R 2 3

216

you have undertaken to paint on that canvas the picture of an

ideal soul? You probably would have said to the first, ‘I am not a

sculptor,’ and to the second, ‘I am not a painter. I cannot do it.’

“Nevertheless, each of us is carving a soul this very minute—

our own. Is it going to be a deformed one, or is it going to be

something admirable and beautiful?

“Yours is the responsibility. Nobody else can carve it for you.

Parents may guide, and teachers may help with suggestions, but

each young man and young woman has the responsibility to

carve his own character.”

President McKay went on to describe the results of carving an

upright character: “If you keep your character above reproach,

no matter what others may think or what charges they make, you

can hold your head erect, keep your heart light, and face the

world undauntedly because you, yourself, know that you have

kept your soul untarnished.”3


We should strive to follow the Savior’s supreme example.

There has been but one perfect character in this world—the

peerless personality of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, the

Redeemer of the world. No man can do better than to accept

Christ as the great Exemplar and the safest Guide.4

If we desire to learn the ideal life to lead among our fellow-

men, we can find a perfect example in the life of Jesus.

Whatsoever our noble desires, our lofty aspirations, our ideals in

any phase of life, we can look to Christ and find perfection. . . .

The virtues that combined to make this perfect character are

truth, justice, wisdom, benevolence, and self-control. His every

thought, word, and deed were in harmony with divine law and,

therefore, true. The channel of communication between him

and the Father was constantly open, so that truth, which rests

upon revelation, was always known to him.

His ideal of justice is summed up in the admonition: “Do unto

others as you would have others do unto you.” (See Matt. 7:12.)

C H A P T E R 2 3

217

His wisdom was so broad and deep that it comprehended the

ways of men and the purposes of God. . . . Every act that is

recorded of his short, though eventful, life was one of benevo-

lence that comprehends charity and love. His self-control,

whether exemplified in his power over his appetites and pas-

sions or his dignity and poise when before his persecutors, was

perfect—it was divine.5

There are [certain] pictures upon which I always love to look.

The first of these is the picture of Christ before Pilate when that

Roman official said to the angry mob, “Behold the man!” ( John

19:5.) As he said it, he pointed to Jesus, crowned with thorns,

bearing upon his shoulders the purple robe. He pointed to one

at whom the angry mob sneered, condemned as a felon and blas-

phemer, and yet when he said, “Behold the man!” he described

one who was perfect in character, who was conqueror over

weaknesses and temptations, and who could say, as he did to his

fellow workers, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me

ye might have peace . . . be of good cheer; I have overcome the

world.” ( John 16:33.) He is our pattern.6

As individuals we should emulate Jesus Christ because of His

divine character. . . . Christians do not honor Him, even with the

honor they give Him, because He was a great poet, because He

was a great scientist, because He was a great discoverer, a great

inventor or great statesman or a great general. They honor Him

because He was a great man. In the realm of character He was

supreme.7

Maintaining righteous thoughts is critical to the development of a righteous character.

The kind of life you live, your disposition, your very nature,

will be determined by your thoughts, of which your acts are but

the outward expression. Thought is the seed of action.8

Character springs from the depths of the soul. You tell me

what you think about when you do not have to think, and I’ll tell

you what you are. 9

Thoughts make us what we are. As definitely and surely as the

weaver shapes his flowers and figures out of the warp and woof

C H A P T E R 2 3

218

of his loom so every moment the shuttle of thought moves back

and forth forming character and even shaping the lineaments of

our features. Thoughts lift your soul heavenward, or drag you

toward hell.10

No principle of life was more constantly emphasized by the

Great Teacher than the necessity of right thinking. To Him, the

man was not what he appeared to be outwardly, nor what he

professed to be by his words: what the man thought determined

in all cases what the man was. No teacher emphasized more

strongly than He the truth that “as a man thinketh in his heart,

so is he” [see Prov. 23:7]. . . .

His teachings regarding man’s duty to himself, as well as

man’s duty to his neighbor, are pervaded with the truth that

thought in all cases determines the man’s right to happiness or

his condemnation for sin. . . .

Whether found out or not, all who commit sin pay the penalty

of sin and of indiscretion. The intent that precedes the act leaves

its indelible impression upon the character. And though the cul-

prit might offer a balm to his conscience by saying . . . that he

will not count “this one,” yet, deep down in the nerve tissue, it

is counted just the same, and the marks in his character will

stand against him in the day of judgment. No one can hide from

his thoughts, nor escape from their inevitable consequences.11

The Savior knew that if the mind could be directed rightly; if

the evil thought and tendency could be resisted, the evil act

would be minimized. Jesus does not lessen the seriousness of

these acts, nor say that we should not punish them; but he

emphasizes the greater need of keeping the thought clean, the

mind pure. An evil tree will bring forth evil fruit; a good tree will

bring forth good fruit. Keep the tree pure, the thoughts pure,

and the fruit will be pure and the life pure.12

An upright character is the result only of continued effort and

right thinking, the effect of long-cherished associations with

Godlike thoughts. He approaches nearest the Christ spirit who

makes God the center of his thoughts; and he who can say in his

219

C H A P T E R 2 3

heart, “Not my will, but thine be done” [see Luke 22:42],

approaches most nearly the Christ ideal.13

Over time, the “little things” in our lives shape our character.

As straws tell which way the wind blows, so little things indi-

cate the direction of a person’s feelings and thoughts.14

Little things are but parts of the great. The grass does not

spring up full grown by eruption. It rises up and increases as

noiselessly and gently as not to disturb an angel’s ear, perhaps is

invisible to an angel’s eye. The rain does not fall in masses but

in drops; the planets do not leap in their orbits, but inch by inch

and line by line they circle the orbits. Intellect, feeling, habit,

character, all become what they are through the influence of

little things, and in morals and religion, it is by little things, by

little actions, that every one of us is going—not by leaps, yet

surely by inches—either to life or death eternal.

The great lesson to be learned in the world today is to apply

in the little acts and duties of life the glorious principles of the

Gospel. Let us not think that, because some of the things may

seem small and trivial, they are unimportant. Life, after all, is

made up of little things. Our life, our being, physically, is made

up of little heart beats. Let that little heart stop beating, and life

in this world ceases. The great sun is a mighty force in the uni-

verse, but we receive the blessings of his rays because they come

to us as little beams, which, taken in the aggregate, fill the whole

world with sunlight. The dark night is made pleasant by the

glimmer of what seem to be little stars; and so the true Christian

life is made up of little Christ-like acts performed this hour, this

minute—in the home, in the quorum, in the organization, in the

town, wherever our life and acts may be cast.15

What a man is today will largely determine what he will be

tomorrow. What he has been during the past year to a great extent

marks his course throughout the year before him. Day by day,

hour by hour, man builds the character that will determine his

place and standing among his associates throughout the ages.16

C H A P T E R 2 3

220

We develop a Christlike character through obedience and self-control.

Character is built by adherence to principles. Character grows

from within just as a tree grows, just as every living thing grows.

There is no outward thing to be put on to make yourself beauti-

ful; [products from] the drug store [help], it is true, but it is only

superficial and temporary. Real beauty, as character, comes from

within, and that which contributes to strength of character is in

compliance with those principles enunciated by the Prophet

Joseph, and by the Savior Himself: virtue, uprightness, holi-

ness—keeping the commandments of God [see History of the

Church, 5:134–35].17

In the building of character as in the transforming of a land-

scape, the laws of peace and of happiness are ever operative.

Effort, self-denial, and purposeful action are the stepping-stones

of progress. Indulgence and sin are vandals and destroyers of

character. Only regret and remorse follow in their wake.18

Self-control means the government and regulation of all our

natural appetites, desires, passions, and affections; and there is

nothing that gives a man such strength of character as the sense

of self-conquest, the realization that he can make his appetites

and passions serve him and that he is not a servant to them. This

virtue includes temperance, abstinence, bravery, fortitude, hope-

fulness, sobriety, chastity, independence, tolerance, patience,

submission, continence, purity.19

What is the crowning glory of man in this earth so far as his indi-

vidual achievement is concerned? It is character—character devel-

oped through obedience to the laws of life as revealed through the

gospel of Jesus Christ, who came that we might have life and have

it more abundantly [see John 10:10]. Man’s chief concern in life

should not be the acquiring of gold, or of fame, or of material pos-

sessions. It should not be the development of physical prowess,

nor of intellectual strength, but his aim, the highest in life, should

be the development of a Christ-like character.20

221

C H A P T E R 2 3

221

Through our influence and teaching, we can help children and youth build a Christlike character.

Children at birth are the most dependent and helpless of all

creatures, yet they are the sweetest and greatest of all things in

the world. . . . Their souls are as stainless white paper on which

are to be written the aspirations or achievements of a lifetime.21

As a child grows physically by eating regularly at intervals, by

breathing fresh air constantly, by resting at stated intervals, so

character is built by little things, by daily contacts, by an influ-

ence here, a fact or truth there.22

“Man’s greatest duty in [the] family is to rear boys and girls possessing health of

body, vigor of mind, and higher even than these, a Christ-like character.”

C H A P T E R 2 3

222

Fundamentally, our characters are formed in the home. The

family is a divine organization. Man’s greatest duty in that family

is to rear boys and girls possessing health of body, vigor of mind,

and higher even than these, a Christ-like character. Home is the

factory where these products are made.23

Of what infinite value to the community are teachers and

trainers of youth who carve and shape the moral atmosphere in

which the people live. Flowers shed beauty and fragrance for a

brief time, then fade and die and are gone forever; but children

who, through instruction from noble teachers, become imbued

with eternal principles of truth, radiate an influence for good

which, like their own souls, will live forever.24


• What are the hallmarks of the Savior’s character? (See pages

216–17.) How can we incorporate these traits into our own

lives?

• Why are noble thoughts the foundation for building a

Christlike character? (See pages 217–18.) How would you

explain President McKay’s statement, “You tell me what you

think about when you do not have to think, and I’ll tell you

what you are”? What can we do to develop pure thoughts?

• What are some of the “little things” in your life that have

helped shape your character? What can you do every day to

become more Christlike? (See also D&C 64:33.)

• In what ways is obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ a crit-

ical factor in developing strength of character? (See page 220.)

How do self-control and service contribute to this develop-

ment? (See page 220.)

• What can we as parents and teachers do to help young people

build a Christlike character? (See pages 221–22.)

Related Scriptures: Philippians 4:8; Mosiah 4:30; 3 Nephi 27:27;

D&C 64:33; 93:11–14

C H A P T E R 2 3

223

Notes



3. Secrets of a Happy Life, comp.Llewelyn R. McKay (1960), 145–46,147.




7. True to the Faith: From the Sermonsand Discourses of David O. McKay,comp. Llewelyn R. McKay (1966), 133.



10. Secrets of a Happy Life, 160.

11. “ ‘As a Man Thinketh . . . ,’ ”Instructor, Sept. 1958, 257–58.

12. Man May Know for Himself:Teachings of President David O.

McKay, comp. Clare Middlemiss(1967), 8–9.


14. True to the Faith, 270.


16. “Man’s Soul Is as Endless as Time,”Instructor, Jan. 1960, 1.

17. True to the Faith, 95–96.




21. “The Sunday School Looks Forward,”Improvement Era, Dec. 1949, 804.

22. “The Home and the Church asFactors in Character Building,”Instructor, Apr. 1946, 161.



224

President McKay followed the Savior’s admonition:

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,

and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

C H A P T E R 2 4

“Let Your Light So Shine”

May the Spirit of the Lord abide in your hearts, and in your homes, that people partaking of

your radiation of honesty, integrity, uprightness, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ will be led

to glorify our Father in heaven.1

Introduction

President David O. McKay received the following letter from

Harold L. Gregory, who served as president of the East German

Mission in the early 1950s:

“Dear President McKay:

“You will be interested to hear of an experience I had this week.

Two men about forty years of age, poorly dressed, came to see me

during the week. They told me they had lost their faith, and yet

they could not turn to any of the other sects or religious organi-

zations they knew. Mr. Braun (as one was called) had prevailed

upon his friend, Mr. Fascher, to come and see me. He told Mr.

Fascher that he knew of our church and that we would help them.

Fascher objected strenuously for two days, but finally came along.

“Mr. Braun began by saying that he was standing on a street

corner one day when he noticed hundreds of people going by. He

asked one where he was going, and he said, ‘To see the Prophet.’

Mr. Braun went along. It was the dedication of the meetinghouse

in Berlin-Charlottenburg, and the Prophet was Brother McKay.

“He said (and I will quote him roughly): ‘I had never sensed

such a spirit of love and good will as I did among those people

that day. And then the Prophet, a tall man in his eighties, with a

full head of hair—all white—stood up and addressed the body. I

have never seen such a young face on a man that age. When he

spoke, something went through me. Afterwards as he was getting

225

C H A P T E R 2 4

226

into his car, I noticed he was shaking hands with the members,

and even though I was not one of them I pressed forward and

shook his hand too. Something warm and lovely went clear

through my body, and I marveled again at his young, clear fea-

tures. Through worldly cares and extreme economic difficulties

the memory was somewhat beclouded, but I knew that I had to

come back to find out more.’

“Mr. Fascher told me that Braun could say nothing but words

of amazement and wonderment at the man he had seen. The

two sat in my office and listened intently to the message of the

restoration which I gave them, as if hanging on every word. They

were penniless and miserable, but they were humble and dissat-

isfied with the churches of men. I lent them a Book of Mormon,

and they promised to be to church Sunday. I believe these two

men (both Russian war prisoners) are ready for the gospel.

“May the Lord bless you, Brother McKay. You and all our

brethren at the head of our church are shining examples of all

that is righteous and good.”2

Many people saw in David O. McKay what these two men saw—

an example of a true disciple of Christ. The story is told of a news-

paper photographer who saw President McKay for the first time:

“Arrangements had been made for pictures to be taken, but the

regular photographer was unable to go, so in desperation the

United Press picked their crime photographer—a man accustomed

to the toughest type of work in New York. He went to the airport,

stayed there two hours, and returned later from [the] dark room

with a tremendous sheaf of pictures. He was supposed to take only

two. His boss immediately chided him, ‘What in the world are you

wasting time and all those photographic supplies for?’

“The photographer replied very curtly, saying he would gladly

pay for the extra materials, and they could even dock him for the

extra time he took. . . . Several hours later the vice-president

called him to his office, wanting to learn what happened. The

crime photographer said, ‘When I was a little boy, my mother

used to read to me out of the Old Testament, and all my life I

have wondered what a prophet of God must really look like.

Well, today I found one.’ ” 3

C H A P T E R 2 4

227


We influence others by what we say, what we do, and who we are.

Every person who lives in this world wields an influence,

whether for good or for evil. It is not what he says alone, it is not

alone what he does. It is what he is. Every man, every person

radiates what he or she is. Every person is a recipient of radia-

tion. The Savior was conscious of that. Whenever he came into

the presence of an individual, he sensed that radiation—whether

it was the woman of Samaria with her past life; whether it was

the woman who was to be stoned or the men who were to stone

her; whether it was the statesman, Nicodemus, or one of the lep-

ers. He was conscious of the radiation from the individual. And

to a degree so are you, and so am I. It is what we are and what

we radiate that affects the people around us.

. . . As individuals, we must think nobler thoughts. We must

not encourage vile thoughts or low aspirations. We shall radiate

them if we do. If we think noble thoughts, if we encourage and

cherish noble aspirations, there will be that radiation when we

meet people, especially when we associate with them.4

The effect of our words and acts is tremendous in this world.

Every moment of life you are changing to a degree the lives of

the whole world. . . . So, it’s not the surroundings, it isn’t the

positions; the thing that will influence [others] in this world, are

personalities. No matter what you are people will feel and rec-

ognize this. You radiate, you can’t hide it. You may pretend

something else, but that will not affect people.5

It is important . . . that we seek, both in life and in books, the

companionship of the best and noblest men and women.

[Thomas] Carlyle, a great English writer, says that “Great men

taken up in any way are profitable company. We cannot look,

however imperfectly, upon a great man, without gaining some-

thing by him. He is the living ‘light-fountain,’ which it is good

and pleasant to be near.”

If you will study the lives of these great “light-fountains” of the

world, you will learn of at least one thing that has made their

228

C H A P T E R 2 4

names endure. It is this: Each one has given something of his life

to make the world better. They did not spend all their time seek-

ing only pleasure and ease, and a “good time” for themselves

alone, but found their greatest joy in making others happy and

more comfortable. All such good deeds live forever, even though

the world may never hear of them.6

No good deed, no kind word can be spoken without its effect

being felt for good upon all. Sometimes the good may be infini-

tesimal, but as a rock that is thrown in a pool starts a wave from

the center which continues to enlarge until every part of the shore

is touched, so your deeds, silent, many of them, unknown, unspo-

ken, unheralded, continue to radiate and touch many hearts.7

God bless you, my dear fellow workers, you General

Authorities, stake presidencies, bishoprics, every officer and

teacher throughout the land, every member. May the Spirit of the

Lord abide in your hearts, and in your homes, that people partak-

ing of your radiation of honesty, integrity, uprightness, and faith in

our Lord Jesus Christ will be led to glorify our Father in heaven.8

Latter-day Saint homes can be examples of harmony and love.

Our homes radiate what we are, and that radiation comes

from what we say and how we act in the home. . . . You have to

contribute to an ideal home by your character, controlling your

passion, your temper, guarding your speech, because those

things will make your home what it is and what it will radiate to

the neighborhood. . . .

A father visited his son’s new home. The son was proud to show

him the new bedroom, the new installations in the kitchen. After

they were through with their visit, the father said, “Yes, it is beau-

tiful, but I see no signs of God in your home.” And the son said, “I

went back, and as I looked through the rooms, I noticed I had

nothing suggestive of the presence of the Redeemer or the Savior.”

What I am saying is, we [have a] greater responsibility than ever

before, as men of the priesthood, as women of the Church, to

make our homes such as will radiate to our neighbors harmony,

love, community duties, loyalty. Let our neighbors see it and hear

229

it. Never must there be expressed in a Latter-day Saint home an

oath, a condemnatory term, an expression of anger or jealousy or

hatred. Control it! Do not express it! . . .

The Savior set us the example, always calm, always controlled,

radiating something which people could feel as they passed. . . . God

help us to radiate strength, control, love, charity, which is another

name for love, consideration, best wishes for all human beings.9

God bless you, my dear fellow workers. Bless you in your

homes. Make your faith shown by your works in your home.

C H A P T E R 2 4

As we follow the Savior’s example, we will “radiate strength, control, love,

charity, . . . consideration, best wishes for all human beings.”

230

C H A P T E R 2 4

Husbands, be true to your wives, not only in act, but in thought;

wives, be true to your husbands. Children, be true to your parents;

do not [assume] that they are old-fashioned in their beliefs and that

you know more than they do. Girls, follow that sweet mother and

her teachings. Boys, be true to your fathers, who want happiness

and success for you, which come only through living the principles

of the gospel. Strangers, seeing such homes, will say, “Well, if that

is the result of Mormonism, I think it is good.” You will show by

your faith and acts in everyday life what you really are.10

Let the sincere investigators who believe more from what

they see than from what they hear, find, upon investigation,

that “Mormons” prove by example in the home, by devotion,

and in their service to God, that they believe and know that

God is their Father.11

If we live according to our beliefs, our good example will anchor the Church and be a light to the world.

God help us to go forth . . . imbued with the Spirit of the Lord,

that every man and woman who has an opportunity to work in

the Church—and that means all—may be determined to live a

life of virtue and purity that will command the strength of the

world, and the admiration of it. In short, let us provide things

honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, so far as in us lies,

let us live peaceably with all men—not overcoming evil by evil,

or being overcome by evil, but overcoming evil with good. Then

will the Church stand as a light to the world. That is her destiny.12

Let your light so shine among men that they seeing your good

works may be led to glorify our Father which is in heaven [see

Matthew 5:16; 3 Nephi 12:16]. In probably no more effective

way can the truth be witnessed before men than for every Latter-

day Saint to maintain and foster the confidence of our outside

friends in a faithful member of the Church of Christ.

Now, in order to do that we must be honest in all things. If we

are contractors, and agree to put in such and such material in a

building, let us put that material in. If we agree to the stipulations

of a contract, to put in one hundred and fifty feet of [heating

231

materials] in the building, let us put in one hundred and fifty feet.

Those are details, aren’t they, but those are the details by which

the men whom you deal with will judge your actions. If we are

taking to market potatoes of a particular grade, and we so

describe that grade, let us know that an investigation will prove

our statements true. I was grieved when I heard a wholesale

dealer say that he has opened sacks of produce, brought in from

the farm, and found foreign material, such as rocks and dirt,

placed in to make up weight. I did not ask him for the religion of

those men; I asked for no name; but such things are dishonor-

able, no true member of the Church of Christ can stoop to such

trickery. Let your light shine before men. In this world today there

needs to be an ensign, a people standing out in bold relief as an

example to the world in honesty and fair-dealing.13

If we can only maintain the standards of the gospel of Jesus

Christ, the future of the Church is secure. Truly, men and women

will see a light that is not hidden under a bushel, but one that is

set upon a hill, and they will be attracted by it, and will be led to

seek the truth more by our acts and deeds and by what we radi-

ate in virtue and integrity, rather than by what we say.14

Let us set an example of harmony and peace to the world. Let

us prove that whether we’re in Africa, South America, New

Zealand, or Australia, we’re all one in Christ. We have only one

object in view: to declare to the world that the gospel of Jesus

Christ is restored in its fulness, and that the gospel of Jesus

Christ is the only plan given to man by which the peace of towns,

the peace of nations may eventually come.15

May there come into everyone’s heart, and into all our homes,

the true spirit of Christ, our Redeemer, whose reality, whose

inspiring guidance I know to be real.

The gospel is our anchor. We know what it stands for. If we

live it, feel it, and bear record to the world by the way we live,

we will contribute to its growth and upbuilding. Speak well of it,

of the priesthood, of the Authorities; let the standards of the

gospel radiate in our lives.16

C H A P T E R 2 4

232

C H A P T E R 2 4

232


• Why is it important to remember that “the effect of our words

and acts is tremendous in this world”? (See pages 227–28.)

How have you seen that small acts of righteousness can have

a far-reaching influence?

• In what ways do our thoughts and actions influence what we

radiate to others?

• What can we do in our marriages and with our families to

show that we are disciples of Christ? (See pages 228–30.)

• Who are some people whose examples have influenced you?

Why have these people been so influential in your life?

• In what ways can our example make a difference in our

homes, workplaces, and communities? (See pages 230–31.)

What can you do today to radiate the light of Christ in your

life?

• Why is example an important part of missionary work? What

experiences have you had in which Latter-day Saints’ good

examples have inspired others to investigate the Church?

Related Scriptures: Matthew 5:14–16; Alma 5:14; 17:11; 3 Nephi

12:14–16; 18:16, 24

Notes


2. Quoted in Cherished Experiences fromthe Writings of President David O.McKay, comp. Clare Middlemiss, rev.ed. (1976), 109–10.

3. Arch L. Madsen, quoted in “Memoriesof a Prophet,” Improvement Era, Feb.1970, 72.


5. “Talk by President David O. McKayGiven to the North British Mission 1 March 1961,” Family and ChurchHistory Department Archives, TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints, 3.

6. Ancient Apostles (1918), 2–3.









15. Cherished Experiences, 189.


233

List of Paintings

Front Cover: David O. McKay

Portrait, by Everett Clark Thorpe.

Page xxx: Christ’s Image, by Heinrich

Hofmann. Photo © C. Harrison

Conroy.

Page 60: “Behold My Hands and

Feet,” by Harry Anderson.

Page 80: “Get Thee Hence, Satan,” by

Carl Bloch. The National Historic

Museum at Frederiksborg in

Hillerød.

Page 90: The First Vision, by Gary

Kapp. © 1998 Gary Kapp.

Page 96: Prophet of the Lord, by David

Lindsley. © 2000 David Lindsley.

Page 170: Peter’s Denial, by Carl

Bloch. The National Historic

Museum at Frederiksborg in

Hillerød.

Page 175: Two Thousand Stripling

Warriors, by Arnold Friberg.

Page 204: Christ Calling Peter and

Andrew, by Harry Anderson.

Page 209: The Last Judgment, by John

Scott.

Page 214: Christ with Children, by

Del Parson.

Page 229: Woman Touching the Hem

of Savior’s Garment, by Judith

Mehr. © 1995 Judith Mehr.

234

Index

A

Adversity, can be overcome with

courage, 176

Agency

entails personal responsibility,

208–12

gift of, allows us to progress,

206–8

Auxiliary organizations, purpose

of, 23–24

B

Backbiting, leads to disunity,

42–43

Baptism, purpose of, 200–201

Body, the tabernacle of the spirit,

12–14

C

Cannon, Hugh J., traveled with

David O. McKay on world tour,

xxi–xxii, 1, 71–72

Centennial celebration in Utah,

David O. McKay’s role in plan-

ning, xxiv

Character

helping children and youth

develop, 221–22

perfect, exemplified by Jesus

Christ, 216–17

requires that we maintain right-

eous thoughts, 217–19

shaped over time by “little

things,” 219

strengthened by obedience and

self-mastery, 109–10, 220

Chastity

essential to prepare for mar-

riage, 137–39

loss of, threatens marriage,

147–48

Children

David O. McKay’s view of, xxi

developing character in, 221–22

teaching prayer to, 74–77

teaching reverence and obedi-

ence to, 31, 33, 158–59

Christ. See Jesus Christ

Church

growth of the, during President

McKay’s ministry, xxv–xxvi,

21–22

progresses according to the

unity of members, 44–47

purpose of the, 21–27

restored through Joseph Smith,

95–98

Church buildings, purpose of,

32–33

Clark, J. Reuben, example of

humility and unity, 39–41

Courage

comes from faith and hope, 173

helps us overcome adversity,

176

I N D E X

235

Jesus is the supreme example

of, 172–73

of Joseph Smith, 98–100

required to maintain spiritual

values, 174–76

story of young man’s, told by

President McKay, 171

Courtship. See Dating

D

Dating

counsel to David O. McKay from

his father, xv

President McKay’s counsel to

youth, 139–40

Death (physical), overcome

through the Resurrection,

61–68

E

Education

importance of, xx

purpose of, 174

valued by Jennette Evans McKay,

xvii

Elohim. See God the Father

Envy, leads to disunity, 42

Eternal marriage

blessings of, 140–41

covenant brings blessings,

145–46

guarding against dangers that

threaten, 147–49

preparing for, 136–41

requires continued courtship,

effort, and commitment,

149–50

sanctity of, xxvii–xxviii

seals couples and families,

126–28, 131

teaching youth about, 136–37

Example

importance of, in teaching chil-

dren, 153, 159–60

powerful missionary tool,

52–54, 227–31

F

Faith

fundamental principle of the

Church, 196–98

gives us courage, 173

leads to repentance and bap-

tism, 200–201

required as we prepare to

teach, 190–91

required when we pray, 73

Family, importance of unity in,

43–44

Fathers

David O. McKay’s appreciation

for, 153

David O. McKay’s example to,

153

responsibility of, to care for and

guide children, 154–60

should teach children to pray,

74–77

Faultfinding, leads to disunity,

42–43

First Vision, revealed truths about

the Father and the Son, 92–94

Freedom, should be used respon-

sibly, 211–12

G

God the Father, a personal Being

whom we can approach in

prayer, 72–73

I N D E X

236

Grant, Heber J.

calls David O. McKay to serve in

First Presidency, xxiii

gives priesthood blessing to

David O. McKay, 114–15

Gratitude, increased through

prayer, 77

Greatness, true, achieved by liv-

ing Jesus’ teachings, 7–8

H

Happiness

obtained by living

Jesus’ teachings, 7–8

through service, 182–83

Heavenly Father. See God the

Father

Holy Ghost

gift of, received after faith,

repentance, and baptism,

201–2

gives testimony to the obedient,

165–68

guidance from, 201–2

Home

importance of righteousness at,

xxvii

righteousness in, an example to

the world, 228–30

should be a place of unity,

43–44

Home teaching, a priesthood

responsibility, 121–22

Hope, gives us courage, 173

Humility

required for effectual prayer, 74

shown by David O. McKay

throughout his life, xvi, xxiii,

xxviii, 2

I

Integrity, an essential virtue, 5

J

Jesus Christ

applicability of His teachings, 6

blessings of living His teachings,

7–8

character of, 4, 216–17

courage exemplified by, 172–73

example of, in how to live, 3–5

example of, in resisting tempta-

tion, 84–86

example of, in serving others,

183–84

faith in, the fundamental prin-

ciple of the Church, 196–98

Light to humanity, 2–3

Master Teacher, 192–93

Resurrection of, 62–66

K

Kingdom of God

Church’s role in preparing for,

22–23

requirements to enter, 195–202

L

Lee, Harold B., tribute to

President McKay, xxviii

Liberty. See Freedom

Life, true purpose of, 14–16

Light, Jesus Christ is the true, 2–3

Love

eternal nature of, 126–28

strengthened through covenant

of eternal marriage, 145–46

I N D E X

237

M

Marriage. See Eternal marriage

McKay, David Lawrence (son),

tribute to David O. McKay as a

father, 153

McKay, David O.

appreciation for his parents,

153

birth and childhood, xiii–xv

character of, 215

death of, xxviii

efforts to obtain a testimony,

163–64

example as a father, 153

example of “letting your light

shine,” 225–26

exemplifies obedience to the

Word of Wisdom, 103

healed through priesthood

blessings, 114–15

meets Emma Ray Riggs,

xvii–xviii

missionary service in Great

Britain, xvii–xviii

mission president in Europe,

xxii–xxiii

ordained an Apostle, xxi

proposes to Emma Ray Riggs,

135–36

receives education, xvi–xvii

receives patriarchal blessing, xvi

relationship with wife, 143–44

service as Church President,

xxiv–xxviii

sustained to the First

Presidency, xxiii–xxiv

teaching experience, xviii–xxi

temples dedicated by, xxvi

vision of the Savior, 1–2

worldwide, year-long Church

tour, xxi–xxii

youth, xv–xvi

McKay, David Sr. (father)

accepts mission call to Scotland,

xiv

example and teachings to David

O. McKay, xv, 153

family of, joined the Church in

Scotland, xiii

testimony of Joseph Smith,

91–92

McKay, Emma Ray Riggs (wife)

meets David O. McKay, xvii–xviii

relationship with husband,

David O. McKay, 143–44

McKay, Jennette Evans (mother)

example and teachings to David

O. McKay, xiv

family of, joined the Church in

Wales, xiii

valued education for her chil-

dren, xvii

McKay, Robert (son), tribute to

character of David O. McKay,

215

McKay, Royle (son), death of, in

childhood, 61–62

McMurrin, James L., counsel to

David O. McKay about resist-

ing temptation, 81–82

Meditation

essential during the sacrament,

34–37

value of, 31–32

Missionaries, full-time, must be

worthy to serve, 54–56

Missionary work


gratitude for, 49

power of example in, 52–54

President McKay’s efforts to

I N D E X

238

improve, xxiv–xxv

responsibility of Church mem-

bers, 49–54

Mothers

David O. McKay’s appreciation

for, xiv–xv, 153



responsibility of, to teach chil-

dren to pray, 74–77

O

Obedience

brings comforting witness of

the Savior, 67–68

brings happiness, peace, and

salvation, 210–11

strengthens character, 220

teaching children, 158–59

P

Packer, Boyd K., experience of

being taught by President

McKay in the temple, xxviii

Parents

David O. McKay’s gratitude for,

xv



responsible to teach reverence

to children, 31, 158–59

should teach children to pray,

74–77

Perfection

Jesus’ example of, 3–5

role of Church in encouraging,

25–26

Prayer


comforted David O. McKay as a

child, 29

power of, in overcoming adver-

sity, 71–72

required as we prepare to

teach, 190–91

requires faith, effort, and humil-

ity, 73–74

teaching children about, 74–77

Priesthood

definition of, 115–16

power of, expressed in serving

others, 120–21

responsibilities of, include

home teaching, 121–22

use of, requires worthiness,

118–19

Priesthood blessing, healing of

David O. McKay through,

114–15

Priesthood quorums

purpose of, 23–24

source of priesthood power,

116–17

R

Repentance

involves change of life, thought,

and action, 198–200

leads to baptism, 200–201

Respect, essential part of rever-

ence, 30–31

Resurrection

of Jesus Christ, 62–66

testimony of, brings comfort,

61–62, 67–68

Reverence

in Church classrooms, 191–92

definition of, 30–31

required when we pray, 73

I N D E X

239

sacrament requires, 34–37

teaching, to children, 31, 33,

158–59

Riggs, Emma Ray. See McKay,

Emma Ray Riggs

S

Sabbath day, blessings of observ-

ing, 34

Sacrament

purpose of, 34–37

requires meditation and rever-

ence, 34–37

Savior. See Jesus Christ

Selfishness, leads to disunity, 42

Self-mastery

necessary to resist temptation,

86–88

required for spirituality, 16–18

strengthens character, 220

Service

brings happiness, 182–83

exemplified by Jesus Christ,

183–84

required by the Lord, 180–82

Smith, George Albert, calls David

O. McKay to serve in First

Presidency, xxiv

Smith, John, gives patriarchal

blessing to David O. McKay, xvi

Smith, Joseph, the Prophet

courage of, 98–100

David McKay Sr.’s testimony of,

91–92

First Vision of, 92–94

gospel truths restored through,

94–95

restored the Church through

divine inspiration, 95–98

Smith, Joseph Fielding, tribute to

President McKay, xxviii

Spirit. See Holy Ghost

Spirituality

increased through reverence

and meditation, 30–32

must be developed over our

physical nature, 12–18

requires self-mastery and com-

munion with God, 16–18

Sunday School, David O. McKay’s

work with, xx–xxi

T

Teachers

must prepare through study,

faith, and prayer, 190–91

should teach character, 221–22

story by President McKay about

influence of, 187–88

Teaching

David O. McKay’s efforts to

improve, xx–xxi

exemplified by Jesus Christ,

192–93

opportunities for, in the

Church, 188–89

requires reverence and order,

191–92

Temples, dedicated by President

McKay, xxvi, 125–26

Temple work

enables couples and families to

be sealed for eternity, 126–28

endowment leads us to the

kingdom of God, 126

offers salvation to those who

die without the gospel,

128–30

I N D E X

240

responsibility of Church mem-

bers, 131–32

worthiness and faithfulness

required, 130–31

Temptation

resisting, through obedience

and self-control, 86–88

Savior’s example in resisting,

84–86

three forms of, 82–85

Testimony

anchors the soul, 168

David O. McKay’s efforts to

obtain, 163–64

most precious possession in the

world, 164–65

received through the Spirit as

we are obedient, 165–68

Thoughts

actions influenced by, 87

character influenced by, 217–18

Tithing, example of, set by David

O. McKay’s father, xv

U

Unity

exemplified by President McKay

and his counselors, 39–41

harmed by certain attitudes and

actions, 42–43

in the Church, 44–47

in the home, 43–44

required by the Lord, 41–42

W

Welfare program, beginnings of,

xxiii–xxiv

Word of Wisdom

assailed by “evil and conspiring

men,” 107–8

blessings of obeying, 108–10

clear commandment from the

Lord, 104–5

disobedience to, brings harmful

consequences, 105–7

duty of Church members to

obey, 108

Worship, elements of, 29–37

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TEACHINGS OFPRESIDENTS OF THE CHURCH · 2011. 7. 29. · The following suggestions illustrate one possible approach to help teachers prepare and present lessons from this book (these